UFC president Dana White leveled strong criticism at referee Kerry Hatley following a controversially delayed stoppage in the fight between Jalin Turner and Bobby Green. The incident occurred during Saturday's UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas, where Turner secured a victory over Green after an intense first round.
Despite Hatley's extensive experience officiating in the UFC, he faced backlash for not stepping in sooner after Turner knocked Green unconscious. Turner landed multiple strikes on his defenseless opponent for approximately 12 seconds before Hatley intervened, prompting White to describe the oversight as "one of the worst I've ever seen" during a post-event interview.
White also recalled past instances where referees have made questionable comments defending their decisions, but acknowledged that Hatley was aware of his mistake and regretted the oversight. The UFC president stressed that such errors were unfortunate given the potential consequences for fighter safety.
Fighter Perspectives
Turner, while recognizing the delay in stopping the fight, defended his actions by stating that it is a fighter's duty to continue the assault until the referee steps in. This perspective underscores the critical role of the referee in ensuring fighter safety and enforcing the rules of the sport.
The fight concluded at two minutes and 49 seconds of the first round, with Green able to exit the Octagon without assistance. In a display of sportsmanship, Green refrained from criticizing Hatley, instead choosing to commend Turner's performance on Instagram. Green's response exemplified grace in defeat, highlighting the importance of maintaining composure both in victory and loss.
Green was initially scheduled to fight Dan Hooker, but after Hooker withdrew due to an arm injury, Turner stepped in on nine days' notice. Turner's last-minute decision to join the co-headlining bout paid off, snapping a two-fight losing streak and improving his UFC record to 7-4. Impressively, all of Turner's wins in the organization have been finishes, either by knockout or submission.
Community Reaction
The late stoppage has sparked significant concern within the MMA community, with many discussing the imperative of protecting fighters. Michael Bisping, a former champion and commentator during the live ESPN broadcast, openly criticized the late intervention, emphasizing the risks associated with such delays to the fighters' immediate and long-term health.
"He was face down, he was getting teed off on by a world-class, very powerful striker. Kerry Hatley is a great referee, but what the hell was he waiting for?" Bisping questioned, clearly disturbed by the incident.
Daniel Cormier, a former two-weight UFC champion, took to social media to denounce the stoppage as "one of the absolute worst stoppages in MMA history." Cormier highlighted the seriousness of the situation, pointing out the vulnerability of a fighter being prone on the mat, receiving blows without the referee's timely intervention.
UFC lightweight Chase Hooper also commented, describing the sequence as "brutal" and noting that Green was unable to defend himself intelligently. Hooper suggested that the referee should have stopped the match after one or two ground strikes at most.
Dustin Poirier, another prominent figure in the sport and former interim lightweight champion, echoed the sentiment, calling it a "horrible stoppage." As the MMA community processes this event, many await any potential follow-up actions or statements from the UFC and regulatory bodies concerning the incident.
The outcry following the fight serves as a stark reminder of the critical responsibilities held by referees in combat sports. Their decisions can have lasting impacts on the health and careers of athletes, making the need for vigilance and prompt decision-making paramount. As the sport continues to evolve, so too does the scrutiny over its officiating, with the hope that lessons learned from incidents like these will lead to improved safety protocols and standards in the future.