Jon Anik Baffled By Mohammad Yahya’s Injury While UFC Analyst Shouts “Leave The Referees Alone”

Saturday’s UFC event in Abu Dhabi delivered plenty of excitement, but one featherweight bout stood out, and for unsettling reasons —  Steven Nguyen’s TKO win over Mohammad Yahya has drawn backlash, especially after Yahya was dropped six times. He suffered a badly swollen eye before the referee finally waved it off in the third round, and the brutal damage sparked heated debate about fighter safety and whether the officiating failed to step in sooner. Veteran referee Jason Herzog—long considered one of the best in the business—is now facing heavy criticism. One of his biggest critics at the moment is Jon Anik.

The post-fight scans showed that Mohammad Yahya had no fractures or lasting injuries. But Anik wasn’t impressed with the way Herzog handled the situation. According to him, the fight should have been stopped earlier, which would have saved the fighter from getting injured. He blamed the referee and tweeted, Prepping  @AnikFlorianPod (live at 11 AM ET) and just now seeing this Steven Nguyen v. Mohammad Yahya fight. What exactly are we doing in the form of fighter safety? If Yahya rallies, the end still doesn’t justify the means. Stop the fight. No fracture doesn’t mean no permanent damage! However, Din Thomas doesn’t quite agree with the criticisms the referee has been facing at the moment. He feels that by letting the fight flow, he allowed Yahya to get back into the fight.

Thomas, while speaking to Mike Bohn, said, “But this is a situation where we’re dealing with a guy who was fighting in his home country, his area. He probably went to school two miles from there. You know what I am saying? Everybody was there to see him fight. He’s got no wins in the UFC. Probably on the verge of getting cut. He was trying to fight his heart out. So, I was okay with this.” Thomas also feels that in recent times, the referees have been criticized a lot. No matter what they do, there is always someone who points fingers at them. The 48-year-old feels that they should be left alone, as they have a much better understanding than most experts out there.

Thomas further added, “Like if he had gotten stopped because it was that bad, he wouldn’t have been able to eat that as well. Let’s leave the referees alone. You know they’ve got a job to do. They do it better than us or else we will be paid to do it. So they have a job to do.” UFC executive Dave Shaw also addressed the growing controversy. He stood by Herzog’s decisions inside the Octagon while also recognizing the wave of criticism that followed. Even Steven Nguyen, the victorious fighter, has now spoken out, openly disagreeing with the UFC executives’ defense of how the stoppage was handled.

Steven Nguyen opens up about Jason Herzog’s officiating in his last fight.

Steven Nguyen may have left the Octagon with his hand raised, but he admitted the fight came uncomfortably close to crossing the line. In the heat of the moment, his focus was locked on securing the finish. But watching the replay later, he was stunned by how far it had gone. One of the biggest concerns was the swollen eye, multiple knockdowns, and Yahya’s buckling leg. Nguyen, during the fight, made history with a UFC-record six knockdowns, earning a well-deserved Performance of the Night bonus. However, he felt that there were instances in the fight when the referee should have stopped the fight.

He said, “There was one where I hit him, and his leg bent backward. I put my hands up thinking it was a walk-off KO, but Jason didn’t stop it.” That moment was hard to ignore, and Nguyen was so convinced the fight was done. He even started to celebrate. But instead of a stoppage, he was told to continue, forced to deliver more damage to a fighter who looked completely spent. Nguyen further added, “There could’ve been a few times where the fight could’ve been stopped.” Those words carry serious weight, especially coming from the man who ultimately won the fight. Even UFC commentators like Jon Anik voiced their concern in real time, clearly uneasy with what they were witnessing.

For Nguyen, there was no malice—just the instinct to finish the job. “I wasn’t thinking about it too much,” he explained. “I just had to do what I had to do.” Fighters operate in a world of split-second decisions, where they push forward until someone steps in. When that doesn’t happen, what should be a clear-cut victory can quickly turn into something far more unsettling. However, the referees in the fight also face the same pressure. One mistake here and there can lead to a lot of criticism. But what do you think about the latest decision? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.