Alex Poatan celebrates his title win alongside Glover Teixeira . Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Glover Teixeira offered a new perspective on the refereeing error in Alex Poatan 's loss at UFC Casa Branca . On that occasion, the Brazilian was knocked out by Ciryl Gane in a result that was heavily contested due to blows to the back of the head which, in the view of many, were not properly stopped by referee Herb Dean.
During an appearance on Connectcast, Glover Teixeira assessed that the result could have been different if the referee had stopped the sequence of illegal strikes. According to the former UFC champion, the stoppage would have given Poatan the opportunity to recover and, most importantly, to refocus on defending the takedown.
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“I think it wasn’t even the speed (that decided the fight), it was the timing, and of course he fell, he went flying at the legs. We’ll talk about it again here, what happened happened, if Herb Dean comes in there and says: ‘Hey, elbow to the back of the neck’… When that happens and the referee says: ‘Watch the back of the neck’, the guy will stop hitting and will have to defend the takedown, and it gives the guy a little recovery time,” said Glover Teixeira.
What is Alex Poatan's next fight in the UFC?
After debuting in the heavyweight division (up to 120,2 kg) with a loss to Ciryl Gane , Poatan keeps alive his dream of winning his third UFC belt. The Brazilian has already made it clear that he intends to return to the octagon between November and December and is aiming for a rematch with the Frenchman. However, fans and experts point out that Josh Hokit or Sergei Pavlovich are the most likely opponents for the Brazilian.
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