The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) hosted another night of fights over the weekend. Following a controversial finish from the recent card, referee veteran turned Bellator MMA commentator John McCarthy has come forward with his thoughts on the matter.
The highly anticipated fight card of UFC Fight Night 128 went down inside the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday. Competing on the night’s card, Merab Dvalishvili and Ricky Simon put on a show for the Atlantic City Crowd.
Simon locked in a guillotine submission attempt in the final round, but Dvalishvili defended the attempt for nearly an entire minute. The fighter was seemingly saved by the fight ending final bell, as the referee never called a stop to the contest.
However, rather than go to decision, the octagon was quickly flooded with officials discussing the fight’s outcome. In the end, it was determined that Dvalishvili was momentarily unconscious during the submission attempt.
Consequently, Simon was granted a TKO victory. Check out John McCarthy’s reaction to the confusing finish down below:
Right outcome with Simon winning, wrong call as far as TKO #AskBJM https://t.co/IuxZ4n1wHd
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) April 22, 2018
How do you have a TKO on a Submission win??? Come on @arielhelwani you know that can’t be right. https://t.co/2biQh5mkzi
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) April 22, 2018
Frank trust me he went out twice. First time when he slammed his head into the mat on the takedown at 56 sec left and then on the neck crank at the bell https://t.co/wOHlPXjAEx
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) April 22, 2018
At the 56 sec mark the fighter is knocked silly if not out by his own takedown. That is why Simon moves to mount and the neck crank so easily. At the end the fighter is out for a second therefore he has been submitted and loses as such. It should never be ruled as a TKO #AskBJM https://t.co/6rOLeSBSn7
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) April 22, 2018
Saved by the bell was a shitty sitcom and a term that is associated with old boxing. It does not apply to this and MMA with submissions. Man was out at the bell and several times before. Why is it you want someone to win a fight they were submitted in? #AskBJM https://t.co/Q4cH4Aoi4z
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) April 22, 2018
