Alex Poatan 's heavyweight debut (up to 120,2 kg), which could have been memorable, ended up being disastrous. In the co-main event of UFC Casa Branca , held last Sunday in Washington, D.C., the Brazilian was no match for Ciryl Gane , losing via brutal knockout in the second round and wasting the chance to become the only champion in three different weight classes in the company's history. Because the fight's ending caused outrage, many are arguing that the bout should be canceled and the result annulled. Due to the controversy, SUPER LUTAS stepped in to clarify the situation.
In the octagon, more precisely in the second round, Poatan fell after receiving a clean jab to the face from the Frenchman. Seeing the Brazilian on the ground, Gane applied an overwhelming ground and pound, throwing several punches and elbows that hit the back of his neck – strikes that are considered illegal under the rules. Unhappy with what happened, the former UFC champion harshly criticized the referee. It's true that the fighter himself, despite feeling wronged, has already stated that he will not try to have the tough defeat declared a 'no contest'. But, if he wanted to, could the veteran appeal to have the fight declared a no contest?
Poatan injured after being knocked out by Gane in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC
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The answer is yes. Over the years, there have been many fights that, upon review, had their results altered/annulled. However, there are exceptions. Generally, a 'no contest' occurs when the fight is stopped for external reasons, that is, completely wrongly by the referee, due to doping, or injuries caused by illegal strikes (eye poke, groin kick, and headbutt). In the latter case, the fight is usually ended immediately.
For example, Gane had already been involved in a controversy before facing Poatan. When he faced Tom Aspinall , the undisputed heavyweight champion, in October, the Frenchman unintentionally poked him in the eye and was not penalized. As the Englishman was unable to continue the fight, the referee declared a 'no contest' in the first round, still in the octagon. Therefore, if the athlete had lost the fight and decided to appeal the result because he felt wronged by the poking, he would hardly have been able to overturn it.
Since Herb Dean either didn't notice the 'prohibited strikes' Gane made on Poatan or didn't judge them as such, the knockout was officially declared. Therefore, the Brazilian's mission to convince the Athletic Commission to overturn the result becomes difficult, especially since the referee seems convinced he didn't make a mistake in applying the rule. To make matters worse, several fighters have recently tried their luck, but even though they have the right to appeal, they haven't been able to get their losses overturned.
And it doesn't stop there. In an exclusive interview with SUPER LUTAS , Mário Yamasaki, a legend of MMA refereeing, illustrated well the difficulty of attempting to overturn a result. Analyzing the controversy surrounding the Poatan vs. Gane fight, the veteran agreed that the loser has every right to be upset. However, the professional believes that the former UFC champion would be entering a losing battle if he intended to appeal to convince the Athletic Commission to change the result, given the unfavorable history.
"I've already heard that he won't do it anymore, he won't file another claim. It's a waste of time , because the decision at that moment is up to the referee and there's no going back. They shouldn't reverse it. Maybe there are judgments, or maybe it's just malicious people gambling online, placing bets. But in this case, I think it's very unlikely ."
“I don’t know Poatan personally, but I’m really rooting for him. I’ve never seen him like this. He was hurt by the loss. Normally, he’d go and say, ‘Let’s move forward.’ But he’s hurting. So, sometimes we try to find someone to blame. I don’t think it’s the time for him to find someone to blame. Now, it’s about preparing, because the challenge ahead isn’t easy. He felt it. Maybe he would have come back from the fight in good shape, I believe, but now it’s about focusing on what’s ahead. The past is in the past and there’s not much that can be changed ,” he concluded.
Head of Athletic Commission speaks out.
In an interview with the YouTube channel 'The Ariel Helwani Show', Andy Foster, head of the California State Athletic Commission and who oversaw UFC Casa Branca , delivered some unpleasant news for Poatan and his fans. After analyzing the controversy and speaking with Herb Dean, the official stated that, in his understanding, there was no illegality to justify stopping the fight. He further pointed out that incidents like this are part of the sport, largely due to the intense movement of the fighters.
Watch Ciryl Gane's knockout of Alex Poatan at UFC White House.
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