MMA Ref Blasted For Allowing Scary Beatdown of Defenseless Fighter
Watch the video that’s being called “the worst referee stoppage in mixed martial arts history.”
MMA fans are furious with a referee for letting a losing fighter get savagely beaten for far too long.
MMA fighters Austin Hubbard and Killys Mota had entered the fifth and final round of a lightweight championship bout during Saturday’s LFA 56 event in Prior Lake, Minnesota when extremely questionable officiating unfolded.
https://twitter.com/AXSTVFights/status/1071263479900778497
After climbing to his feet through a relentless flurry of elbows and punches from Hubbard, an uppercut finally dropped Mota to the mat with 35 seconds left on the clock.
Ref Joe Fipp should have ended it right there.
“He started to step in to stop it and backed out!” one announcer said.
Hubbard continued to unload unanswered strikes on Mota’s head as both commentators began begging for stoppage. Even the crowd booed the senseless beating.
“This is a joke! He’s not defending himself!” one announcer screamed.
With 15 seconds left, Fipp finally called it.
MMA outlet BJ Penn declared the late decision “the worst referee stoppage in mixed martial arts history,” while a multitude of fans lambasted Fipp on Twitter.
Please get that ref to Herb Dean or John McCarthy, and restrict him from overseeing another fight until he does so.
— Steven Marrocco (@MMAFightingSM) December 8, 2018
#LFA56 Results: Austin Hubbard (9-2) def. Killys Mota (11-1) — TKO (Punches) 4:45 R5. Horrendous job of officiating by referee Joe Fipp, who allowed Mota to take unnecessary punishment from unanswered punches, elbows and knees for over a minute. pic.twitter.com/WSEBkHwtX8
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) December 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/ProSeWeStand/status/1071371375300857856https://twitter.com/adam__gleason/status/1071273665063469056
I will never watch fights on @AXSTVFights if they don’t lunch a complaint against the ref in this fight. This is borderline criminal.
— JIMMY MENDOZA (@JIM_E824) December 10, 2018
Let’s just hope the losing fighter is OK, and that this ref doesn’t officiate any more MMA fights.
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