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“Why Would Anyone Not Cheat in This Sport When…” – Confessing on Taking Khabib’s Advice, Tagir Ulanbekov’s Controversial Moments Puts a Blemish on UFC 296 Win Against Cody Durden

Published 12/16/2023, 8:44 PM EST

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Tagir Ulanbekov just secured a win against Cody Durden in the early prelims of UFC 296. Ulanbekov is a part of Team Khabib Nurmagomedov and ‘The Eagle’ was brought up very quickly after his victory. However, fans are not happy with Ulanbekov’s win at all. Why?

Ulanbekov vs. Durden went on for two rounds as the Dagestani fighter submitted his opponent before the final round could begin. Nevertheless, he used questionable tactics to secure the choke as well as the win. Of course, fans are now calling him out. Here’s the story.

Tagir Ulanbekov and the Octagon at UFC 296

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Tagir Ulanbekov grabbed the cage with his toes during the UFC 296 matchup. And perhaps this was a big factor that helped him secure the win over Durden. Later, it also became evident that Nurmagomedov’s advice had followed through with him as he went for the rare naked choke. But fans were quick with the ripe accusations.

Some blamed the UFC for not being vigilant or punishing enough.

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Meanwhile others praised Nurmagomedov for teaching Ulanbekov.

Finally, some others just claimed the fighter was ultra dominant.

So do you agree with the fans? There have been many instances of fighters sticking their toes in the cages to help their positions. Interestingly, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s nemesis, Conor McGregor made some very similar moves during their infamous battle. He wasn’t punished much either. Does the UFC need to revise their rules?

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UFC 296 was relatively cleaner

Fight Nights and big pay-per-views of late have been plagued with criticism. Just recently, Jalin Turner knocked out Bobby Green at the UFC Austin’s co-main event. However, the knock out didn’t seem enough for the ref who allowed an unwilling Turner to give Green a brutal ground and pound.

Who Has Jalin Turner Lost to in MMA? Everything You Need to Know About UFC Star’s Defeats

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Former heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier himself called it “one of the absolute worst stoppages in MMA history,” and the stance also had Dana White’s approval. Clearly, there are issues that need dealing with. Late stoppages and illegal moves are repeating more and more often. Will Dana White use the criticism to make a positive change?

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Written by:

Prit Chauhan

926Articles

One take at a time

I'm Prit Chauhan, and I'm a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. I've been in the writing business for three years, covering areas like mass media marketing, and even tried my hand at fiction. My experience includes research work at the University of California, Berkeley, which helps me spin fact-based stories about the world of Mixed Martial Arts effortlessly.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das