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“That Ref Needs To Be Fired”: Questions Raised on Official As Gnarly Head Clash Followed by Controversial Strikes at UFC Vegas 75 Force UFC Champ and Fans To Bash Decision

Published 06/18/2023, 12:42 AM EDT

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Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier have enhanced the excitement for UFC Vegas 75 quite high. However, even the preliminary matches packed a punch on par with the main events. Without a doubt, some fights were destined to spark controversy within the world of mixed martial arts.

The fight between the Ukrainian fighter, Denys Bondar, and the contender from the United States, Carlos Hernandez, gave rise to a controversy that prompted even the professionals to react. As Hernandez took down Bondar in the final round, many claimed the victory to be a result of 

Official Decision: Carlos Hernandez def. Denys Bondar via Unanimous Technical Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 4:59

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However, many have risen to dismiss the win by decision and deemed it a victory by knock-out.

UFC world not satisfied with the decision for Hernandez vs. Bondar

The flyweights began the bout with a showcase of exceptional skills. Hernandez seemed pretty motivated to capture the win following his previous loss. Howbeit, the Ukrainian warrior was also on par with his mind and energy. The first two rounds proceeded with the scorecard tilting towards Hernandez. 

But it was in the third round when all eyes were glued to the arena. Hernandez secured a takedown at the third round with a body lock. It seemed as if Bondar went into the dream realm as soon as he hit the mat. Hernandez wasn’t one to be fazed and he continued to send waves of fierce elbows, one of which resulted in a nasty cut on Bondar’s head. 

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As blood gurged out his seemingly lifeless body, the referee stepped in and separated the two. Controversy began to rise as many fans and professionals noticed that during the takedown, the fighters’ heads collided, which was apparently the result of Bondar’s journey to the shadow realm. However, after a couple of replays, the official decision announced it as a unanimous technical decision in favor of Hernandez.

Professionals react to the controversial decision

Soon after the announcement, Belal Muhammad took to Twitter and declared that the fight ended with a “50 k knockout”.

Billy Quarantillo claimed that the fight should have been ruled a KO and should have been stopped way earlier.

Casey O’Neill also called the headbutt. It was, in fact, a weird fight according to her.

Jamahall Hill, however, had a different opinion and claimed that it was not a head clash.

Former UFC fighter, Alan Jouban, also stood in support of the decision and claimed that it was indeed a legitimate throw.

Nevertheless, some controversies can only be resolved with a discussion and watching replays. As the fighters’ reactions found their way to Instagram, the fans took over the comments section and bashed the referee for the fight. Max Griffin also seemed to think that the outcome was a weird one. He wrote, “WhACK AF” in the comments to show his thoughts.

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Here is what the fans said:

  • That ref needs to be fired
  • Ref let 4-6 too many elbows land too.
  • That ref should never ref in the ufc again or atleast not anytime soon
  • KO or not, Hernandez got the W. What needs to be discussed is the ref watching on as Hernandez nearly caved bandors skull in with elbows, do your job
  • These refs suck tonight. Wake the hell up
  • the refs tonight r awful

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What are your thoughts about the fight? Did the fight proceed as per your predictions? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by:

Krushna Prasad Pattnaik

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Krushna Pattnaik is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports, with a deep passion for martial arts and storytelling. His extensive training in BJJ, Tae-Kwon-Do, and Muay Thai has given him a unique perspective on the sport of MMA, and his love for analyzing fights is evident in his exceptional writing. Krushna's personal experience in the ring has given him a deep understanding of the intricacies of a bout, and he brings this knowledge to his writing, providing readers with insightful and engaging content.
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Edited by:

Abigail Kevichusa