Figure skating and Mortal Kombat don’t seem like an obvious combo, but Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava just proved that they absolutely should be.
The Georgian pairs skating duo pulled off one of the most talked-about moments of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Exhibition Gala when they hit the ice to the iconic “Techno Syndrome”, yes, that theme from the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, dressed in full Mortal Kombat-inspired costumes, after starting the performance in plain bathrobes. Because why not.
The crowd didn’t know what hit them. And honestly, neither did the rest of the internet.
A gala number that no one saw coming
The Exhibition Gala at the Olympics is where skaters get to ditch the rulebook and just have fun, no judges, no restrictions, pure creative freedom. And Metelkina/Berulava took that freedom and ran with it.
FATALITY💥
Anastasiia Metelkina y Luka Berulava, al puro estilo de ‘Mortal Kombat’ (y algo más), encienden la pista de patinaje😌 pic.twitter.com/DunJMIsHth
— Claro Sports (@ClaroSports) February 21, 2026
Their number started deceptively calm, with the pair gliding out in bathrobes, before stripping down to reveal tournament-ready fighter costumes as “Techno Syndrome” by The Immortals kicked in. You know the one. MORTAL KOMBAT.
The combination of technical pairs skating, throws, lifts, spins, all executed to one of the most recognizable tracks in gaming and pop culture history was almost too good to be real. Fans on social media lost their minds over it, with clips circulating rapidly across platforms.
Who are these two, anyway?
If you’re not deep in the figure skating world, allow a quick introduction. Anastasiia Metelkina (born 2005) and Luka Berulava (born 2002) represent Georgia, and they are, in the most literal sense, a generational phenomenon.
They only teamed up in 2023, yet they’ve already racked up Junior World titles in both 2024 and 2025, a Grand Prix gold at the NHK Trophy, and, their biggest achievement to date, an Olympic silver medal right here at Milano Cortina 2026, making them the first Georgian athletes ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.
They’re also probably the most Gen Z pair in figure skating history. Their competition programs have ranged from a Grim Reaper-themed free skate to neon aerobics aesthetics for a short program set to Bronski Beat.
Metelkina has even used AI to redesign her makeup and hairstyle looks. The Mortal Kombat gala number fits perfectly into their brand: unexpected, bold, and completely memorable.
“Finish Him!”, but make it olympic
What makes this moment so special beyond the nostalgia factor is how committed they were to the bit. This wasn’t a casual nod to gaming culture, it was a full theatrical performance with costume reveal and everything.
As Olympics.com noted, the duo has always embraced their ability to show different sides on the ice, and Metelkina herself summed it up well: “It’s good that we can show our different sides and that we’re not a pair that skates the same type of programs.”
At 20 and 23 years old respectively, Metelkina and Berulava are only getting started. And if they’re already doing Mortal Kombat at the Olympics, the imagination runs wild thinking about what comes next.
Alright, we need to hear from you, what video game or movie soundtrack would YOU want to see skated to at the Olympics? Drop your answer in the comments and let’s build the ultimate ice rink playlist together. FIGHT!