Everyone enjoys a good scrap. When two guys go into the cage and leave nothing to the judges, it gives the crowd a unique sense of excitement. It’s the kind of feeling you get when you know you had just witnessed something spectacular.
MMA fighters give it their all inside the cage to please fans. Sometimes we forget just how hard it is for fighters to risk their lives for our entertainment. A good number of potential injuries are at risk every time a fighter takes to the cage.
As such, having a good third man in there is essential to fighter safety.
MMA Referees Sure Have It Tough
(Photo: Yahoo Singapore)
The humble referee is responsible for protecting fighters by stopping fights at the right moment, to prevent further damage. They are there to call a halt to bouts for fighters who simply refuse to give up and tap.
Because there are those who just won’t. You’ve all seen fighters who refuse to give up.
They get pounded with bombs left and right yet refuse to show that they’ve been beat. Some have their arms broken because they don’t want to tap. Others get put to sleep.
It’s a common sight inside the cage. That’s why it’s up to the referee to save the day. But what happens when the referee is too sensitive in these types of situations?
Premature stoppages can have an adverse effect on the sport. Sometimes, referees stop a fight just way too early. You hate to have it happen during an important bout, like title bouts for instance. But it happens.
Let’s take a look at the Top Five Most Controversial Stoppages in MMA History:
#5 Fabricio Werdum vs Brandon Vera
Referee Dan Miragliotta has had his fair share of blunders. It seems everyone just knows he could royally screw things up at any given moment.
When former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum took on then rising star Brandon “The Truth” Vera at UFC 85, it was expected to be a great clash of styles.
It was the Muay Thai prodigy against the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. With less than a minute to go in the first round, Werdum got mount and he started to pound Vera who was defending himself quite well.
Miragliotta however, jumped in and ended the bout with about 20 seconds left to go. Yes Vera wasn’t trying to escape after Werdum got mount, but he wasn’t really hurt either. He had 20 seconds left to make it to the end of the round which he would have, had Miragliotta not stepped in.
