• Home
  • /
  • MMA
  • /
  • MMA Ref Responds To Criticism After Brutal Romero Knockout

MMA Ref Responds To Criticism After Brutal Romero Knockout

MMA Ref Responds To Criticism After Brutal Romero Knockout
Maurice Brosnan
By Maurice Brosnan
Share this article

The main event of UFC 221 in Perth, Western Australia last night saw an absolutely devastating knock-out as Luke Rockhold was floored by a huge Yoel Romero shot.

Romero punished Rockhold's low guard with a bruising left hand over the top before landing one more swift blow to a legless Rockhold and the fight was over in the third round.

The former middleweight champion took several moments to gather himself before Romero went over to console his defeated opponent. In the aftermath of the fight, there was some criticism of Romero's ability to unload the second shot with a sense the referee may have been poorly positioned for any stoppage.

Advertisement

The referee for the contest was Scottish born Marc Goddard, who took to Twitter to respond to his critics tonight.

Recommended

Goddard is recognised as one of the world's best referees and instantly intervened when the second, more serious uppercut landed. The primary criticism isn't his point of intervention but his spacing, as he had considerable ground to make up while Romero landed the killer blow.

Goddard, who famously had a high-profile run-in with Conor McGregor during Bellator 187, deserves praise for his interaction with fans and the insight he provides with his explanations.

As for Romero, he was fined 30 percent of his show money for missing weight and after the fight initially feared a serious leg injury. However, his manager had downplayed such concerns. It is Rockhold's second defeat in three fights which may single a weight change for the American.

SEE ALSO: John Kavanagh Fires Back At Irish Minister's 'Misinformation'

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement