[adzii_nufc]

That's horrible for all involved. Poor bloke. There's no winner anymore as you know his opponent is beat up too about it. I agree with the ref opinions you have Osem. It's just hard to find the balance. Some are way too early and others are way too late. There's no real compromise to be had. For example a boxing style count would rectify it but nullify the ground game of MMA. It's a non recovery sport with only clean knockouts and stoppages. Like I've said though I've seen both sides of it. I've seen a guy get dropped and defend himself properly. Then I've seen a guy with a face beyond recognition completely out on his feet taking an absolute battering. I've got a clip somewhere of a fighter stopping it himself because the referee was oblivious to guy literally being asleep.

I then saw an absolute shocker of a fight in Bellator involving Kimbo Slice and another wannabe. Both gassed in round 1 and it proceeded into the following round with both fighters hanging onto each other just to stand. It took the ref to see the bloke literally collapse into a heap to call it off. Should've pulled both fighters out of what was clearly a parcel of excrement. So there is a case of more ref training needed in more than one area. With regards to stoppages though there's just no winning. It's the risk you take when you step into the octagon. But again many changes were made over a period of years to rectify some pretty brutal stuff. Kicks to the head whilst grounded used to be legal :| 28 years old is no age though. Stuff of nightmares. Akin to rabbit punches, I wouldn't disagree with clean undefended hammer fist punches being taken away though. When undefended they just look barbaric and pretty sick.