Brazilian Politicians Who Literally Duked It Out Over A Project Dispute

Disagreements and arguments between politicians are not uncommon, and they are typically resolved with discussions or mediation. In some cases, harsh words are exchanged and talks get heated, especially when two parties can't find a common ground. In 2021, two politicians in Brazil came to a consensus that a fight in the ring was the best solution to solve their issues.

Simão Peixoto, the mayor of the town of Borba in northern Brazil, had been in conflict with former a former councilor, Erineu Da Silva, for some time. In September 2021, Da Silva uploaded a video online wherein he called out Peixoto for allegedly failing to conserve and manage the Balneario do Lira, the town's waterpark tourist attraction. In addition, he called the mayor a "crook," as reported by The Guardian, and challenged him to a fistfight. Peixoto released his own video, accepting Da Silva's challenge, but he said that he would only be participating in a formal MMA match in the ring, as he was "not a street fighter."

A month after the fight was confirmed, the two Brazilian politicians arrived at the gym of a local school where their fight was going to take place. It was scheduled in the early morning hours of Sunday, and the location was packed with spectators, who purchased tickets to see Simão Peixoto and Erineu Da Silva settle their disagreements in an unconventional manner. As reported by Vice, the two men entered the ring at about 2:30 a.m. Peixoto's camp even live-streamed the fight on the mayor's Facebook page for those who couldn't make it to the gym.

Before the fight began, Peixoto approached Da Silva on his side of the ring and ran a finger across his throat, taunting his opponent, according to BNC Amazonas. When the round started, the crowds cheered as the two politicians started swinging and kicking in an attempt to knock the other down.

Simão Peixoto (pictured right) and Erineu Da Silva (pictured left) gave their all during the fight, but it was evident from the start that they were amateurs. Da Silva attacked with a series of kicks, most of which the mayor evaded. Peixoto retaliated with punches and was able to knock the former councilor down to the ground. After the first round, the two were visibly tired from all the kicking, punching, and grappling. As reported by Vice, the same went on for the next two rounds, but as the minutes passed, the two men appeared to have slowed down. Da Silva was able to land several kicks on Peixoto in the last two rounds, but in the end, the judges declared Peixoto the winner.

It seemed the two men were able to release their aggression toward each other in the ring, and the animosity was gone by the time the fight ended. When Peixoto was declared the winner, the two men went toward other and hugged in a show of sportsmanship. As reported by BNC Amazonas, Peixoto said that the fight was to promote sports in the municipality. It isn't clear whether the dispute over the waterpark was resolved after the fight.