UFC president Dana White did not mince words when he criticized referee Kerry Hatley for what he deemed a delayed stoppage in the recent bout between Jalin Turner and Bobby Green. The fight, which took place at UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas, ended controversially after Turner knocked Green unconscious in the first round.
Despite Hatley's extensive experience in the Octagon, he failed to intervene promptly, allowing Turner to continue delivering strikes to his defenseless opponent for an alarming 12 seconds before stepping in. This lapse in judgment led to White characterizing the incident as "one of the worst I've ever seen" during a post-event interview.
White pointed out that while there have been referees who have made questionable statements in the past, Hatley's mistake was evident and regrettable. "He knows he made a mistake tonight and does not feel good about it, so it's unfortunate," White added, indicating that Hatley himself recognized the gravity of his oversight.
Turner, on his part, acknowledged the delay but defended his actions by stating that as a fighter, he is trained to keep fighting until the referee steps in to halt the contest. This mindset is ingrained in fighters to ensure they do not prematurely stop their offensive, potentially costing them the match if their opponent is not truly incapacitated.
Green's Graceful Defeat
The fight officially lasted two minutes and 49 seconds, ending with Turner's victory. Remarkably, Green was able to leave the Octagon without assistance despite the late stoppage. In a display of sportsmanship, Green refrained from blaming Hatley for the incident. Instead, he took to Instagram to commend Turner for his performance, emphasizing the importance of maintaining composure both in victory and defeat.
"You win some, you lose some, I guess," Green reflected on social media. He continued, "I just want to show people that you've got to keep it 'G' when you win, and you've got to keep it 'G' when you lose. Shout out to Jalin. You did your thing, brother. I'm so happy for you. It means the world that you stepped up on short notice and you're having your success. So shout out to you."
Originally, Green was set to face Dan Hooker, but a shift occurred when Hooker withdrew due to an arm injury. Turner then seized the opportunity, stepping in on nine days' notice to take on the co-headlining bout. This decision paid off as he snapped a two-fight losing streak and improved his UFC record to 7-4. Impressively, all of Turner's victories in the UFC have come via knockout or submission.
Community Outcry Over Refereeing Standards
The incident has sparked a broader conversation within the MMA community about the critical importance of ensuring fighter safety. During the live ESPN broadcast, former champion Michael Bisping expressed strong disapproval of the incident, questioning the rationale behind the delayed intervention and highlighting the potential risks to fighters' lives and long-term health.
Bisping was not alone in his condemnation. Former two-weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier took to social media to describe the stoppage as "one of the absolute worst stoppages in MMA history." Cormier underscored the seriousness of the situation, noting the risk involved when a fighter is prone on the ground taking punches without timely intervention from the referee.
UFC lightweight Chase Hooper also described the incident as "brutal," pointing out that Green was unable to defend himself intelligently throughout the sequence. "Ref should've stopped it after one or two shots on the ground max," he stated, reflecting a sentiment echoed by many in the MMA community.
Even former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier weighed in, labeling the stoppage as "horrible." With such widespread criticism coming from prominent figures in the sport, the MMA community is now awaiting any potential actions or statements from the UFC and relevant regulatory authorities in response to this incident.
It is clear that this event has brought to light the crucial role referees play in protecting fighters' well-being. The consensus seems to be that while the physical nature of mixed martial arts is understood and accepted, the need for vigilant and immediate referee intervention when a fighter is no longer able to defend themselves is paramount for the integrity of the sport and the safety of its competitors.