Light heavyweights Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cuțelaba met on the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo event in Norfolk, Virginia. The fight abruptly ended while the two were exchanging.
After a brief altercation caused by Cutelaba during fighter introductions, the two wasted no time going at it once the bout officially began.
During an early exchange, Ankalaev connected with a combination that seemingly wobbled Cutelaba. Ankalaev fired off a head kick that was partially blocked. He delivered a kick to the body before going up high again. The kick was blocked. Cutelaba was wobbling, potentially playing possum.
He blocked another head kick and fired back with a right hand. Ankalaev landed a straight left hand and Cutelaba responded with a looping right.
That’s when referee Kevin MacDonald stepped in to stop the fight. Cutelaba immediately protested the stoppage.
There wasn’t a knockdown. Cutelaba was on his feet and was returning fire. You be the judge. Was it the worst stoppage in UFC history?
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Woah! Controversial finish at #UFCNorfolk ? pic.twitter.com/5rDDr9lMVV
— UFC (@ufc) March 1, 2020