The light heavyweight showdown between Paul Craig and Rodolfo Bellato was bizarre, to say the least. The Scottish veteran landed an illegal upkick that appeared to momentarily knock the Brazilian out. The referee quickly stepped in and declared the bout a no contest. What followed stirred the MMA community: Bellato was accused of faking the severity of the blow, with fans calling his reaction theatrical. Amidst the backlash, Bellato has finally broken his silence, releasing his first official statement since the incident.

UFC Atlanta was packed with nostalgia and thrilling moments, none bigger than Kamaru Usman’s triumphant return to the win column. But what’s a fight card without a dash of controversy? When Craig threw the illegal upkick, it caught the Brazilian off guard, as he collapsed to the canvas. After regaining consciousness, Bellato scooted back to the cageside while looking at the referee, who came in and ruled the fight a no-contest. This drama caught the attention of the MMA community, who were not happy with what they witnessed.

Just a day after the fight, the Brazilian has come forward with a lengthy message explaining why he acted that way and insisting that his reaction was completely genuine. Taking to his Instagram handle, Bellato wrote, “I saw some things on the internet, saying I was an actor there and stuff.. the moment i was on the ground, i didn’t expect to get kicked in the face (illegally).. it was a strong kick, when I looked at the judge to complain, my whole body began to tingle and my vision disappeared.. after that i dont remember anything.”

He further added, “Anyone who’s known me the longest knows I would NEVER do this, I’ve never run from war. I hit 2x in less than 30 days, 2 trips in a row. Why would I fake something after all I been through and on top of that winning the first round? In the end, I thank all the real ones for the positive messages. God is in charge.”

Paul Craig had to wait 14 weeks for this moment with Rodolfo Bellato, only for it to end within one round. The two were originally scheduled to face off on May 17 at UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Morales, but the Brazilian withdrew due to a medical issue. The UFC later rebooked the bout for UFC Atlanta, but the conclusion was nothing short of chaos. And guilty as charged, Paul Craig, in his confession, admitted that he might have thrown an illegal kick.

Paul Craig admits to foul play against Rodolfo Bellato at UFC Atlanta

Was the kick illegal? Certainly. But was it intentional? Nope. Referee Kevin MacDonald assessed the situation and ruled the fight a no contest, choosing not to disqualify Craig on the grounds that the kick was unintentional. However, despite the clarification, the conversation quickly turned against Bellato. According to many fans, he faked it until the fight was ruled a no-contest.

Talking to the media, Paul Caig was questioned about the event, to which the star took Bellato’s side and slammed the criticism coming his way, “A few people messaged me and they’re saying it looked a bit ‘flop’ish, like he was maybe hamming it up.I wouldn’t think any fighter is looking for an easy way out in this sport. We’re all fighters, we’re all in the UFC at the pinnacle of our careers, and we’re looking to put on performances.”

He further added, “But I can see where people are looking at it like it looks a bit ‘flop’ish, like he’s taking a dive. I don’t want to think that, but I need to watch it back.”‘BearJew’ said he talked to Bellato after the fight, and the Brazilian explained that everything happened so fast, he didn’t know what had happened.

“It’s my fault as much as it is his fault. We shouldn’t be looking to persecute him if he’s taking the knee. It was an illegal move (by me),” said Paul Craig as he admitted his mistake in throwing such an illegal kick. Well, as the fight ended in a no-contest, the promotion has the opportunity to rebook the fight in the future. But will they rebook it again, after two botched outcomes? Only Time will tell.