It was a great victory during My Hero’s main tournament arc. Yet, the Sports Festival organizers decide to tie up Bakugo before the award ceremony. Why was Bakugo chained up at the Sports Festival?
Bakugo was chained up at the Sports Festival because he was unsatisfied with his victory. Todoroki intentionally holds back during the Grand Finals match, and Bakugo is frustrated with winning in such a way. The Sports Festival organizers decide to tie Bakugou up because he refuses to accept his award.
All Might personally gives Bakugou the first place medal. He explains that in a world that’s always grading on a curve, Bakugo somehow manages to stay on top. Bakugo refuses to accept the medal, leaning his head up and tearing at the medal’s string with his teeth.
The Sports Festival chains Bakugo up at the award ceremony
In chapter #44, the U.A. The Sports Festival’s final award ceremony begins. Tokoyami and Lida are tied for third place, Todoroki is in second, and Bakugo is in first.
Bakugo is chained up to the first place podium. He has a mouth guard on and thrashes around in place, trying to break free.
All Might has been chosen to personally hand out the awards. He gives Tokoyami his third place medal and congratulates him on his strength. After approaching Todoroki, All Might asks why he decided to hold back in his fight against Bakugo.
Todoroki explains that he “lost his way” after the fight against Deku. The fight brought into question Todoroki’s insistence on not using his left side, as his fire-quirk reminds him of his father.
He would need to use his left side in order to defeat someone as strong as Bakugo. By going fire-only, he lost the fight and Bakugo begins to feel that his victory is undeserved.
So that’s the answer. Bakugo was chained up at the Sports Festival because he was unsatisfied with his win. Todoroki held back in the Grand Finals match, and Bakugo does not want to accept a medal for a fight he didn’t fully deserve.