India, June 1 -- An Irish MMA fighter sparked controversy after shouting "Free Palestine" in the face of his Israeli opponent during a high-stakes bout in Rome.

Paddy McCorry, 27, defeated Israel's Shuki Farage in the Cage Warriors 189 event on Saturday night. As he pinned Farage and landed a flurry of blows, McCorry could be heard yelling the slogan repeatedly. Clips from the livestreamed event quickly went viral on social media.

McCorry later shared footage of the match on his social platforms, captioned "Street Justice," along with Irish and Palestinian flags. The audience could also be heard chanting "Free, free Palestine" as the fight reached its climax.

Farage, who was previously undefeated, reportedly served in the Israel Defens...