A public comment-section exchange between grappler Andrew Tackett and Mateusz Szczecinski has surfaced online, and it reads less like friendly competitive banter and more like a genuine grudge. The thread, which appears to stem from an Instagram post about a potential matchup involving Dante Leon, escalated quickly from a passing remark into pointed personal criticism on both sides.
It kicks off with Tackett commenting on a post, saying he turned down a fight, that a bout with Dante would be an exciting one, but that Mateusz’s style bores him relative to other, more exciting opponents. Szczecinski responds almost immediately, accusing Tackett of being scared and joking about “secondhand trauma.”
Tackett denies being afraid of anyone, framing his matchmaking choices as strategic rather than fearful. He says he’s simply trying to avoid being bullied by bigger, more established names and is instead targeting matchups that offer him more visibility and career upside. He closes his reply by wishing Szczecinski good luck, in a tone that reads as dismissive rather than warm.
Szczecinski counters by referencing a claim Tackett allegedly made two years earlier, that he didn’t have enough leg-lock knowledge in his gym to prepare for a fight with him. Szczecinski turns this around, suggesting Tackett is now the one lacking substance, calling him boring and questioning his following given how often his name comes up in conversation anyway. In a follow-up comment, he also brings up a match against Jonnatas Gracie, dismissing Tackett’s claim that grappling with him wouldn’t “grow the sport” while implying Tackett is avoiding him for the same reason.
Tackett’s longest and sharpest reply directly compares his own resume to Szczecinski’s, referencing an earlier match against an opponent named Tommy that took place two years prior. He claims he holds more titles, has fought in higher-profile matches, and beat that shared opponent more convincingly. He goes on to characterize Szczecinski’s grappling style as overly cautious, accusing him of rarely leaving the mat, avoiding takedowns, and relying on a “boring” gameplan to grind out decisions rather than finishing fights. He closes by telling Szczecinski to “grow some balls,” a clear signal the exchange has moved past sport-related trash talk into personal animosity.
Whether Tackett is genuinely ducking a fight with Szczecinski is hard to say from the thread alone. On one hand, Tackett frames his matchmaking as calculated career management, chasing bigger names and more visible opportunities rather than avoiding any one specific opponent. On the other hand, his own language, calling Szczecinski’s style boring and dismissing the matchup’s value to the sport, echoes exactly the kind of stylistic-mismatch excuse fighters often give when they’d rather not take a fight. Szczecinski certainly reads it that way, repeatedly framing Tackett’s comments as cover for reluctance rather than strategy.
Without a formal fight offer, purse numbers, or a promoter weighing in, it’s difficult to say definitively whether this is a real callout being sidestepped or simply two competitors with a personal history sniping at each other publicly.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
