Jon Anik was as confused as the remainder of us watching Steven Nguyen put a chronic beatdown on Mohammad Yahya at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Nguyen set a UFC file by scoring six knockdowns (although there gave the impression to be at the least yet another than the official quantity) in opposition to Yahya en path to a dominant second-round knockout, which was solely referred to as on the very finish of the interval on account of a health care provider stoppage. Followers and fighters were quick to question referee Jason Herzog not stepping in to avoid wasting Yahya earlier.
On his Anik & Florian podcast, Anik defined why he’s one of many many voices criticizing Herzog.
“What are we doing within the type of fighter security?” Anik stated. “Possibly I ought to name my good friend Jason Herzog, who I actually do love, ‘Hey Jason, it’s Jon. Are you able to do a me a favor and simply cease the combat?’ There’s lots to unpack right here. … Jason Herzog was the referee for [Daniel] Zellhuber and [Esteban] Ribovics and in case you hear nothing else I say at the moment, I don’t know if I used to be suggestive on the printed that that combat ought to have been stopped at one time limit, however I assumed Zellhuber ought to have form of been saved to perhaps dwell to combat one other day, and the consequence was that Herzog quite masterfully let the combat play out and the consequence was the Combat of the 12 months.
“However my thesis at all times is what are we doing within the type of fighter security? The ends don’t justify the means if there’s a rally and a Combat of the 12 months ensues. Simply because Mohammad Yahya doesn’t have an orbital fracture doesn’t imply that heretofore he’s not going to pay dearly for this.”
On the decision with Felder for UFC Abu Dhabi have been commentators and former UFC fighters Paul Felder and Michael Bisping. The 2 have been in loads of wars themselves, however even they questioned what the restrict was for the quantity of punishment Yahya can be allowed to endure.
“Paul Felder stated in the direction of the top of Spherical 2, ‘This combat’s not going to proceed, proper? As a result of ultimately a doctor’s going to get entangled right here,’” Anik stated. “Bisping first referred to as for a possible stoppage due to all of the knockdowns on the two-and-a-half minute mark precisely of Spherical 1, and I do consider we’re not assessing concussive harm dwell within the minute, however after myriad knockdowns—I’m not saying there needs to be a knockdown rule in blended martial arts, but it surely does exist for a cause, however after six or seven of those f*cking issues, we are able to cease the combat.”
Sadly for Herzog, that is the second time in two weeks he’s been the topic of criticism from the MMA group, as several fighters also called him out for stopping the UFC Nashville foremost occasion too early. Herzog ended that combat in simply 35 seconds as Derrick Lewis was battering Tallison Teixeira, who was illegally grabbing the fence with each palms to try to get better.
Anik sympathizes with Herzog, who’s coping with the blame for 2 reverse sorts of errors.
“You’re damned in case you do, you’re damned in case you don’t,” Anik stated. “All of them join collectively. We will assume again to Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry. I simply assume, Kevin MacDonald, a variety of early stoppages in his profession as a referee and I’ve stated repeatedly that as a ref you’re going to be universally praised—I suppose not universally, however the consensus goes to reward you in case you let a combat go lengthy and chaos Combat-of-the-12 months-type shit ensues.
“You’ll be roundly criticized in case you cease a combat too early, particularly in an enormous setting like a foremost occasion or a title combat.”
As for Yahya’s nook, Anik doesn’t assume they need to be absolved of duty both.
“Lots,” Anik stated when requested how a lot blame Yahya’s nook ought to obtain. “And it’s most likely disgrace on me for not acknowledging their culpability in all of this. I don’t know. For the sake of the present, I watched it, and I don’t know if I’m being notably reactionary proper now, but it surely was not good. Not good.
“What number of knockdowns—like, I don’t assume we’d like a three-knockdown rule in MMA, however how about this, in case you get knocked down 5 occasions in an MMA spherical, do you assume it’s truthful that they cease the combat?”
