Saturday’s UFC Abu Dhabi was action-packed, but one featherweight fight caught attention for all the wrong reasons. Steven Nguyen‘s TKO victory over Mohammad Yahya sparked controversy, as Yahya was knocked down six times and had a seriously swollen eye before the third-round stoppage. The severity of the damage raised serious concerns regarding fighter safety and officiating, and Ariel Helwani did not mince words while sharing his thoughts on it.

Surprisingly, post-fight scans revealed that Mohammad Yahya had no fractures and no permanent damage. However, the visuals painted a different story: one of punishment that lasted for far too long. Referee Jason Herzog, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in the sport, is now at the center of a heated controversy, with many questioning his hesitation to call off the fight.

It wasn’t just about taking punishment; it was about allowing a man to “fight for his life,” as Ariel Helwani said it while criticizing the officiating on his show. “That was awful refereeing. There’s no way that fight should’ve continued. He got knocked down one, two, three, four times, and that eye… it was disturbing.”

Helwani also criticized the corner for not giving up: “What about Muhammad Yahya’s corner? Why didn’t they step in? Why didn’t they say ‘No mas’?” His statement cut deeper when he linked it to the UFC’s pay structure, implying that fighters and teams are hesitant to call off fights early for fear of losing win bonuses.

UFC executive Dave Shaw responded to the controversy, defending Herzog’s in-cage decisions while acknowledging the backlash. “We talked to Herzog after,” Shaw explained. “He pointed to moments where Yahya looked like he was back in it. But yeah, there’s a solid argument that it could’ve been stopped earlier.”

Shaw noted that, despite the eye swelling rapidly, the scans revealed just superficial injuries and no damage that required surgery. However, the injury may not be just physical. Nguyen set a UFC record with six knockdowns, and while he received a well-deserved Performance of the Night bonus, Dana White was also moved by Mohammad Yahya’s grit. But the night’s takeaway was less about his rise and more about whether officials are doing enough to protect fighters.

No permanent harm does not imply no risk. And in this case, the optics were too brutal to overlook. In fact, even the winner of the fight himself has now come forward to disagree with what the UFC execs have to say about the stoppage. Despite the win, Steven Nguyen believes there were several instances in the fight where the referee should’ve just called it a day for both fighters.

Steven Nguyen shares his thoughts on Jason Herzog’s officiating against Mohammad Yahya

Steven Nguyen may have walked out of the Octagon victorious, but he couldn’t deny that the fight was dangerously close to going too far. At the moment, he was completely focused on finishing the show. However, after seeing the replay, he was surprised it got that far. The eye, the knockdowns, and Mohammad Yahya’s collapsing leg all appeared much worse from the outside looking in.

“There was one where I hit him, and his leg bent backward,” Nguyen said. “I put my hands up thinking it was a walk-off KO, but Jason didn’t stop it.” That particular moment stood out. Nguyen was so certain the fight was over that he briefly celebrated. Instead, he had to go back in and finish off a man who appeared to have nothing left. He’s admitted, “There could’ve been a few times where the fight could’ve been stopped.”

That speaks a lot, coming from the one who eventually won the fight. Even UFC commentators like Jon Anik expressed their concern in real time. But for Nguyen, it was never about being cruel; it was about doing his job. “I wasn’t thinking about it too much,” he said. “I just had to do what I had to do.” Fighters live in a split-second reality in which they must keep going until someone intervenes. When no one does, the outcome becomes more disturbing than a one-sided win.