UFC President Dana White did not mince words when he addressed what he deemed one of the most egregious refereeing errors in recent memory. The incident occurred during the UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas, where Jalin Turner and Bobby Green faced off in a bout that ended controversially due to a delayed stoppage by referee Kerry Hatley.
Despite Hatley's seasoned tenure as a UFC official, his judgment was called into question after he failed to promptly intervene following Turner's first-round knockout of Green. The unconscious fighter was subjected to additional strikes for a full 12 seconds before Hatley stepped in to halt the contest.
"It was one of the worst I've ever seen," White stated in a post-event interview. He continued to express his dismay, contrasting Hatley's mistake with past referees who have offered questionable justifications for their decisions. White emphasized that although Hatley recognized his error, the situation remained regrettable.
Turner, on his part, defended his actions within the Octagon, underscoring the fighter's duty to continue combat until the referee intervenes. This sentiment is common among professional fighters who are trained to fight until explicitly stopped by an official.
Green's Graceful Acceptance
The fight, which lasted only two minutes and 49 seconds, saw Green leave the Octagon without assistance despite the controversy surrounding the stoppage. In a display of sportsmanship, Green refrained from criticizing Hatley. Instead, he took to Instagram to commend Turner for seizing the moment and performing admirably under the circumstances.
"You win some, you lose some, I guess," Green reflected on social media. He added, "I just want to show people that you've got to keep it 'G' when you win, and you've got to keep it 'G' when you lose. Shout out to Jalin. You did your thing, brother."
Green had been scheduled to fight Dan Hooker; however, Hooker withdrew due to an arm injury. Turner then accepted the co-headlining bout on nine days' notice. His victory over Green snapped a two-fight losing streak and improved his UFC record to 7-4, with all wins coming via knockout or submission.
Community Outcry Over Fighter Safety
The late stoppage has ignited a firestorm of criticism from prominent figures within the MMA community, sparking discussions about the paramount importance of fighter safety.
During the live ESPN broadcast, former champion Michael Bisping voiced his disapproval, questioning Hatley's delayed intervention and stressing the potential risks to fighters' lives 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 exclaimed, labeling the oversight as "utterly disgusting and disgraceful."
Adding to the chorus of concern, former two-weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier took to social media to denounce the stoppage as "one of the absolute worst stoppages in MMA history." Cormier highlighted the danger posed to a fighter left prone on the canvas, defenseless against incoming blows without timely intervention from the referee.
UFC lightweight Chase Hooper also chimed in, describing the sequence as "brutal" and pointing out that the fighter was clearly unable to defend himself intelligently. "Ref should've stopped it after one or two shots on the ground max," Hooper asserted.
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier echoed these sentiments, deeming the stoppage "horrible." The MMA community now looks to the UFC and relevant regulatory authorities for their response to this incident and what actions, if any, will be taken to address such concerns in the future.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the fine line officials walk between allowing fighters to compete fully and protecting them from unnecessary harm. As the fallout from the event continues, the spotlight shines brightly on the need for stringent enforcement of stoppage protocols to safeguard the well-being of athletes who put their physical health on the line each time they step into the Octagon.