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Should it have been a disqualification or a no contest? That’s the question many in the MMA world were asking following the Martin Buday-Chris Barnett fight on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 34.
The bout ended with a technical decision in favor of Buday following an illegal elbow to the back of Barnett’s head in Round 3 of their heavyweight contest. Because referee Dan Miragliotta determined the elbow to be accidental and not intentional, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards, with Buday being awarded a unanimous decision despite landing the illegal blow that ended the fight.
Many fighters questioned the ruling as they thought Buday’s elbow was far from accidental. Below is how several UFC fighters reacted.
Francis Ngannou
Clearly intentional 🤷🏾♂️
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) April 16, 2022
Jamahal Hill
So if I get up in a fight all I have to do is land an illegal shot so the dr stops it and I win? Hmm interesting!!
— Jamahal Hill (@JamahalH) April 16, 2022
Junior Dos Santos
Clearly intentional!
I don’t know what kind shit is going in on those guys heads. and the referee saying it was an accident. BS.
Elbow on the back of the head is never, never an accident. Why it’s so hard for those *** apply the f rules https://t.co/DsS1kYrE91— Junior Dos Santos 🅾️➕ (@junior_cigano) April 17, 2022
Marlon Vera
That was intensional
— C H🖕🏽T O🇪🇨V E R A (@chitoveraUFC) April 16, 2022
Chris Curtis
How is that not intentional? Seriously. The man has his back turned against the cage, what else could he be aiming at? #UFCVegas51
— Chris Curtis The Action Man (@Actionman513) April 16, 2022
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