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“Nobody’s Going to Want to Fight in the UK”: Fans Frustrated and Angry as “English Judges” Make a Terrible Call at UFC 286 to Spoil a High-Level MMA Fight

Published 03/18/2023, 3:25 PM EDT

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The early prelims card closing fight involving Lerone Murphy and Gabriel Santos at UFC 286, headlined by the grudge fight between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, raised the fans’ eyebrows as the controversial decision sparked controversy. While the Saturday night generated horrifying injuries and controversial referring, a similar action unfolded as the two undefeated fighters clashed in the Octagon. Markedly, the O2 arena bore witness to a controversial decision on March 18 as both featherweights tried to protect their undefeated record. However, the British fighter emerged victorious in their high-paced and thriller encounter that attracted the fans’ eyeballs.

Notably, the Brit won the back-and-forth fight via split decision as the fight went the distance.

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What happened in the fight at UFC 286?

Both the undefeated fighters started off strong, but it was Murphy who assumed control of the fight initially. Murphy took the fight to the mat and landed some heavy shots. However, when the fight resumed on the feet, both the fighters gave the fans a slugfest. Both fighters landed voluminous shots and engaged in exchanges. Further, Santos caught Murphy on the latter’s lapse of concentration. In the dying seconds of the first round, the inseparable fighters unleashed a barrage of combinations.

Interestingly, both the fighters gave each other a stare-down after the first round ended.

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In the second round, Murphy tried to bank on the gassed-out Santos. However, his low blow gave Santos a bit of a breather, as the referee called for a time-out. After the break, Santos, while rejuvenated, appeared slow. Murphy continued the pressure, but Santos relied on grappling skills to tackle Murphy.

After a successful takedown, he tried to lock Murphy in a rear-naked choke and later on in an arm bar. But the clock and his strong takedown defense saved Murphy.

In an unlikely sight, both fighters hugged each other as they commenced action in the final round, in complete contrast to their intense stare-down a couple of rounds back. Santos again relied on grappling skills which reaped benefits for him. The busier round didn’t deter both the fighters from giving up as they were still engaged in exchanges.

The home-grown fighter, in the end, picked up a controversial split decision.

How did the UFC fighters and fans react to the slip decision?

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What do you think exciting fight at the UFC 286? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Rohit Lohan

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Rohit Lohan is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his undergraduate as a History major, he is currently pursuing LLB. Rohit is a big MMA fan and has been following UFC since 2017.
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