Bo Nickal‘s second straight win since the loss to Reinier de Ridder last May was anything but a seamless affair. While Nickal secured a first-round stoppage on the main card of the White House event, the fight generated discussion for more than one reason.

To some, the matchup with Kyle Daukaus itself appeared questionable. To others, including Joe Rogan, referee Jason Herzog’s decision to stand the fighters up during one of Nickal’s takedown sequences became the bigger talking point.

“I’m with Joe Rogan … I hate all standups, but Jason Herzog did a terrible job standing this fight up just after Bo Nickal hammered Kyle Daukaus with two elbows,” read senior MMA journalist Dean Martin’s X post. “Didn’t matter in the end but still annoying.”

The criticism stemmed from an exchange during the opening round. Bo Nickal dominated the early stages with his wrestling and ground control, damaging Daukaus with punches and elbows. After a cut opened up, the referee, Jason Herzog, stood the fighters up, allowing Daukaus to briefly find success on the feet.

Reacting to the stoppage in the ground action, Joe Rogan was heard saying, “I’m not a big fan of the standup here,” after Jon Anik remarked, “Jason not seeing enough action. Nickal either.”

The momentum shift, however, proved short-lived. Nickal soon hurt Daukaus with a kick before finishing him with a left-right combination. While the first-round stoppage settled the contest, Herzog’s decision continued to draw criticism even after the fight ended.

To set the context, it wouldn’t be the first time Herzog’s decisions have faced scrutiny. Setting aside reported fight-fixing allegations and talks of a federal investigation, the referee has faced criticism for some of the decisions he took inside the cage. While he came under scrutiny for the late stoppage in fights such as Steven Nguyen vs. Mohammad Yahya and Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira, Herzog was equally criticized for stopping Nassourdine Imavov vs. Jared Cannonier at UFC Louisville back in June 2024.

That history likely contributed to some fans viewing Herzog’s latest decision more critically.

Referee’s split-second decision sparks outrage in Bo Nickal bout

“Agreed,” wrote one, echoing criticism of Herzog’s decision to stand the fighters up. Nickal gained control by taking Daukaus to the mat and landing steady strikes from the top position. Had Herzog not stood the fighters up and allowed the action to continue, some fans likely felt Nickal would have finished the fight within moments rather than seeing it extended into the final half-minute of the round. Echoing that view, another added, “That stand-up was nonsense.”

“It was bizarre,” wrote another. The frustration likely stems from how a referee’s decision can interrupt the flow of a fight. In a sport where fighter safety remains non-negotiable, referees are also expected to preserve the natural flow of exchanges whenever possible.

Yet a few appeared to disagree with the narrative. One fan joked, “Plus if anyone’s an expert on terrible standups, it’s Rogan.” That remark appeared to poke fun at the UFC commentator’s stand-up comedy career rather than his opinion on the referee’s decision.

Another fan used the discussion as an opportunity to taunt Nickal as well. “Loved him at PSU. Can’t support him after he was talking sh*t to the GOAT!,” they wrote. It’s likely they were referring to instances where Nickal downplayed prominent wrestling figures such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev.

While many fans criticized Herzog’s decision, judging a referee’s call from outside the cage is rarely straightforward. Inside the cage, however, the situation can look very different. Besides the two fighters, the referee is the only person observing every exchange from close range.

So in this instance, Herzog could be given the benefit of the doubt for believing the position had stalled enough to justify a reset. He may have already sensed Nickal was in control and felt Daukaus deserved an opportunity to continue competing from a neutral position.