UFC marked its 10th visit to Houston with the first-ever packed Fight Night event under the Paramount+ CBS era. With some stellar clashes on the card, fans expected violence, and the event delivered. However, despite an electric lineup, controversy surrounding refereeing errors remained a sour note at UFC Houston, as two fighters were sent to the hospital for further checkups.

According to MMA Mania’s report, Nora Cornolle and Josiah Harrell were transported to the hospital after their fights ended brutally. Their respective opponents showed serious mettle inside the Octagon, but in both bouts, referees played a role in allowing situations to go too far. 

At UFC Houston, Josiah Harrell made his long-awaited debut against Jacobe Smith on the main card. The previously undefeated fighter had missed his first opportunity to debut in the promotion due to a traumatic brain disease scare, and fans were eager to see how he would perform. The Ohio native started well, using his grappling effectively, but Jacobe Smith eventually reversed the position and unleashed devastating ground-and-pound.

Josiah Harrell remained stuck on the canvas, absorbing shots without retaliation, yet the referee failed to step in immediately. That delay allowed Smith to land several more unanswered punches before the referee finally stopped the fight, giving ‘Cobe’ a first-round finish victory. With that finish, Harrell’s debut ultimately turned far more brutal than anyone anticipated. Even Dana White, at the post-fight presser, labeled it one of the worst finishes in recent times. After the punishing sequence, ‘Muscle Hamster’ was sent to the hospital for CT scans.

But, before Harrell’s main card bout, another fighter on the prelims had already endured a frightening finish. In the women’s bantamweight contest, Nora Cornolle faced Joselyn Edwards, where things also spiraled into chaos. In the second round, ‘La Pantera’ slammed her opponent to the ground, momentarily knocking Cornolle out. However, the referee completely missed that sequence, leaving Edwards to continue the attack and ultimately secure a rear-naked choke to end the fight.

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MMA Mania further reported that Cornolle screamed in pain as officials escorted her out of the arena, while doctors prepared to evaluate injuries to her collarbone and shoulder at the hospital. Moreover, Ramiz Brahimaj underwent CT scans after he absorbed massive damage in his welterweight showdown against Punahele Soriano.

Now, that makes a total of three fighters the UFC has sent for further medical evaluation, two of whom were a result of possible refereeing errors. However, there is another veteran fighter who might also need to get checked by doctors after his fight turned into a brutal finish. 

Uros Medic knocks out Geoff Neal at UFC Houston

UFC Houston’s amazing fight card also included a spectacular co-main event where veteran Geoff Neal welcomed up-and-coming star Uros Medic for a showdown. Before the fight, ‘Handz of Steel’ predicted that the bout would not pass the first round, basically pointing to how much firepower this matchup carried. Well, Neal was definitely right about the fight not making it past Round 1. Unfortunately, the result did not fall in his favor once again.

From the opening bell, Medic pressed forward against the veteran 170-pounder, taking the center right away. The Serbian used sharp body kicks to manage distance and set up his strikes. But the contest quickly turned into a firefight, with both men throwing bombs in an early exchange. Medic landed a crisp left hook that sent Neal crashing to the canvas. And that was it. ‘The Doctor’ secured another first-round victory and walked away with a bonus as well.

Following such a ruthless finish, it would not be surprising if Geoff Neal ends up visiting the hospital to rule out any concussion-related damage. On the other hand, Medic is set to enter the rankings, likely sliding into the #12 spot that ‘Handz of Steel’ once occupied.

That said, what do you think about the UFC Houston event as a whole? Did it deliver in terms of entertainment? Let us know in the comments section below.