- Casey O’Neill won his fight at UFC 305 in Perth
- She defeated Luana Santos on points on Sunday
- He had a message for Rachael Gunn after the fight.
Australian mixed martial artist Casey O’Neill celebrated her UFC 305 victory by imitating Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn in the Octagon and then launched a brazen attack on the Olympic breakdancer.
Gunn became one of the biggest stories of the Paris Games when she was widely mocked for her routines, which included imitating a kangaroo and using the “sprinkler” dance move.
The 36-year-old then saw fans rally behind her after she spoke out about the mental toll the bullying had taken on her.
On Sunday local time, O’Neill defeated Brazil’s Luana Santos at Perth’s RAC Arena and celebrated the judges’ unanimous decision by showing off some of Raygun’s signature moves.
The 26-year-old burst into tears as the victory was announced to the crowd, then fell to the ground, laying on her side and bending at the waist as she lowered her hands to her feet, mimicking one of Gunn’s most repeated maneuvers.
He then jumped to his feet and brought his hands to his chest, palms down, in a nod to Gunn’s now-famous kangaroo move, which has also been described as resembling a Tyrannosaurus rex.
O’Neill then used his post-fight press conference to launch an indirect attack on Gunn.
Australian mixed martial artist Casey O’Neill (left) scored a unanimous points victory over Brazil’s Luana Santos at UFC 305, but her celebration stole the show.
The Australian wrestler imitated breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn after the judges’ scorecards were read out.
O’Neill even imitated Gunn’s world-famous kangaroo imitation (pictured)
Asked how she rates her breakdancing in the Octagon, the Queensland-based fighter said: “I give it a 10. I think I did better than her at the Olympics.
“I think if they bring it back (breaking) by 2028, I might have to take a break from MMA and go for a gold medal.”
In an emotional message posted on her Instagram page last Thursday, Raygun admitted that the online abuse has been “quite devastating”.
‘I didn’t realize that would also open the door to so much hate, which, frankly, has been pretty devastating.
She also asked people to stop “harassing” her, her friends and family, and to “respect her privacy.”
And while some chose to respond with negative comments, which Daily Mail Australia decided not to publish, large numbers of fans rallied behind the university professor.
“Hope your mental health is okay,” said one Instagram follower. “Take care of yourself first, lots of love.”
“Don’t listen to the haters, you’re amazing,” said another fan. “Be very proud. You’re a true fun-loving Aussie. Right up there with Steven Bradbury as a sporting legend. We’ll never forget you.”
Pictured: Rachael Gunn performs the original kangaroo move during her routines in Paris.
‘Raygun’ received a lot of support from fans after she spoke out about the toll online criticism took on her following her widely panned performances at the Games (pictured)
“I’m with you, Rachael,” a third follower said. “You know that.”
A fourth fan wrote: “You are an icon. Have a good rest!”
Another fan commented on the trolls: “He made us all laugh, why the hate?”
O’Neill’s victory came after suffering two consecutive losses that she says left her in a dark place.
“I think only boxers really understand what it feels like after a loss in two fights. It’s more than just a bad day at work. It’s like an identity crisis,” he said after the win.
“You have to go back and make sure you’re confident in yourself and everything. It takes a lot of work. I’m thankful that all the work paid off tonight.”
“It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I’m sorry, I’m just so emotional because this meant a lot to me.”