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MMA fighters love to use Twitter, but they found out Thursday that their profiles are now missing a key accessory.
The global social media platform followed up on its promise to remove all legacy blue check marks from previously verified accounts on April 20, leaving the majority of the MMA community without one. Though the impact that this will have on the broader Twitter landscape remains to be seen, fighters were quick to offer their thoughts and reactions.
UFC bantamweight veteran Brian Kelleher humorously balked at the news, calling it “bulls***” and declaring himself “self verified.” His post was accompanied by a picture of himself with a new do-it-yourself blue check mark.
Others were more serious with their responses, like Kelvin Gastelum, who vowed to leave Twitter if the pay-to-play move extended beyond just being verified.
“If any social media platform that was given to me for free, is now telling me to to pay, I will delete it,” Gastelum wrote.
See more reactions from the MMA community below.
This is bullshit. Self verified baby can’t take nothing from me pic.twitter.com/0bUEkEUDTT
— Brian BOOM Kelleher (@brianboom135) April 20, 2023
Just want to verify that I am actually still myself and this is the real true Wonderboy…don’t want to
— Wonderboy (@WonderboyMMA) April 20, 2023
Cause any unnecessary stress to anyone if I can help it #UnverifiedGang #ItsStillMe
Haha same . Not paying for a verification . Comedy https://t.co/wxRY9wxbhX
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 20, 2023
If any social media platform that was given to me for free, is now telling me to to pay, I will delete it.
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) April 20, 2023
Don’t need a blue check mark.
But if I have to pay even without it, im out.
Gettin knocked out and losing my blue check all in the same week… yikes
— Billy Quarantillo (@BillyQMMA) April 20, 2023
RIP to my verified badge. Any wild tweets yall see from me ain't really me from now on
— Sodiq Yusuff (@Super_Sodiq) April 20, 2023
Lol at the verified people explaining why they’re still verified
— Dan Ige (@Dynamitedan808) April 20, 2023
They may take my blue tick, but they will never take my freedom
— Brendan Loughnane (@BrendanMMA) April 20, 2023
RIP pic.twitter.com/CADBUSXoiD
— Ian Heinisch (@ianheinischmma) April 20, 2023
I lost my blue checkmark… I am devastated that my life will now continue exactly as before.
— Sean O'Connell (@realOCsports) April 20, 2023
No blue check for me lmao
— Adrian Yañez (@yanezmma) April 20, 2023
Bye to my checkmark I don’t even know what this means. Do all the other checkmark people pay for theirs? I’m so confused by all of this. I guess I’m not on here enough to keep up ♀️ pic.twitter.com/cQ9ShuYJhc
— Megan Olivi (@MeganOlivi) April 20, 2023
My Verified badge is gone! Let’s see how long before this troll makes a fake account of me again. Smh
— Cody Durden (@Cody_Durden) April 20, 2023
Wait… am I supposed to have a blue checkmark or not? Someone explain
— Jasmine Jasudavicius (@JasJasudavicius) April 20, 2023
Are you serious?! pic.twitter.com/1Zo7mce40n
— Diana Belbiță (@DianaBelbita) April 21, 2023
Where is my blue check mark?? come on @elonmusk
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) April 20, 2023
https://t.co/NT0JV69teW pic.twitter.com/FahZesJxzn
— Austen Lane (@A_Train_92) April 20, 2023
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