This past weekend ufc held fight night 128 in Atlantic city, NJ. Overall it was a good card. Some great fights. Few solid knockouts.. the usual. But one fight in particular ending in a most confusing way.
Ricky Simon and Merab Dvalishvili had a solid fight. Ended up being the fight of the night winner and both men were awarded their extra prize money. But how it ended has everyone at odds.
With 55 seconds left to go in round 3, the final round, Simon locked in a guillotine choke and took Dvalishvili to the mat. For 55 seconds he was being choked out, the whole time he was conscious. He was bicycle kicking his legs to keep blood flow and even gave a thumbs up at one point to show he wasn't passed out. The clock winded down and the final horn sounded. By this point Dvalishvili was rather red in the face and near unconscious. But as Simon released the choke and got up Merab laid there for a second to catch his breath then went to get up. But by now the doctors were running in and instructed him to stay down.
The referee asked another referrer who wasn't involved with the match, but was at cageside and together they determined Dvalishvili was unconscious at the horn and decided that the outcome of the match was a TKO at 5:00 of the 3rd round. After the fight was over.
In my opinion the fight should have gone to the judges because he technically was still with it. If that was the case the judges had him winning a split decision 2-1. But instead he lost.
What do you think? Was that the right call or should it have gone to the judges?
I personally had no stake in either man as I'd never seen either fight before. I just feel it was an odd call and should at the least be reviewed or a rematch at some point to settle the score.
Ricky Simon and Merab Dvalishvili had a solid fight. Ended up being the fight of the night winner and both men were awarded their extra prize money. But how it ended has everyone at odds.
With 55 seconds left to go in round 3, the final round, Simon locked in a guillotine choke and took Dvalishvili to the mat. For 55 seconds he was being choked out, the whole time he was conscious. He was bicycle kicking his legs to keep blood flow and even gave a thumbs up at one point to show he wasn't passed out. The clock winded down and the final horn sounded. By this point Dvalishvili was rather red in the face and near unconscious. But as Simon released the choke and got up Merab laid there for a second to catch his breath then went to get up. But by now the doctors were running in and instructed him to stay down.
The referee asked another referrer who wasn't involved with the match, but was at cageside and together they determined Dvalishvili was unconscious at the horn and decided that the outcome of the match was a TKO at 5:00 of the 3rd round. After the fight was over.
In my opinion the fight should have gone to the judges because he technically was still with it. If that was the case the judges had him winning a split decision 2-1. But instead he lost.
What do you think? Was that the right call or should it have gone to the judges?
I personally had no stake in either man as I'd never seen either fight before. I just feel it was an odd call and should at the least be reviewed or a rematch at some point to settle the score.
