UFC color commentator Paul Felder has detailed making amends with UFC middleweight Marvin Vettori.
Last year, Vettori insisted that he would confront Felder over what he believed to be biased commentary. Vettori went as far as to call Felder a “puppet.” He said that he’d meet Felder face-to-face backstage at UFC Vegas 41.
What got Vettori so heated was Felder’s commentary during the Nasrat Haqparast vs. Dan Hooker fight back at UFC 266. Haqparast is Vettori’s teammate, and he felt Felder wasn’t giving him a fair shake.
During an appearance on MMAFighting’s “The MMA Hour,” Felder explained how he and Vettori ended up being cordial in the end during a UFC meeting.
“They were like, ‘Guys, OK, before we start, I know there’s been back and forth, we’re going to handle this like adults – you guys feel free to vent both sides of your story,’” Felder said on The MMA Hour. “Marvin gave his reasons on why he felt slighted and whatever, and I gave my reasons on why I didn’t think I did anything that was really against him, and we kind of hashed it out. And ever since, we’ve been… I don’t think he’s going to be my best friend or likes me necessarily, but I feel like there’s no real bad blood there.”
Felder admitted that had he and Marvin actually gotten physical, the UFC middleweight probably would’ve gotten the best of him.
“At this point, if Marvin wanted to kick my ass, let’s be honest, he probably could,” Felder said. “He’s a top middleweight right now, and I’m a very skinny former fighter who commentates and does triathlons on the side.”