It is said that referees have one of the toughest jobs in the business. The referee has to be everywhere at once. They have to see and hear everything inside the cage. If not in the right place at the right time, the referee may not see that a fighter is in danger. However, this referee may have been having an off day.
A few years ago, the PCFL held an event in which one Mike Pantangco faced off against Jeremy Raser. Pantangco rocked his opponent in the fight, but the brawl continued. Jeremy Raser began stumbling on the mat, seemingly unable to intelligently continue the match.
However, the referee did not put a stop to the fight. After a few moments of standing with his opponent, Pantangco decided to stop the fight himself. But the fighter tapped out, instead of bringing further harm to his opponent.
Fights arguably extending past their due is nothing new to the sport of mixed martial arts. However, it is unfortunate when a referee can not see the damage dealt to a fighter is severe. You can catch the moment of sportsmanship below.