UFC Ref roasted over egregious stoppage, letting Bobby Green eat 10 shots while already KOed

Adam Miller

At the recent UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas, there was a surprising turn of events that left spectators in disbelief.

The co-main event featuring lightweights Jalin Turner and Bobby Green took an unexpected turn. Turner’s precise punch behind Green’s ear left the 37-year-old visibly destabilized, leading to a critical shift in the match dynamics.

Green found himself on the canvas as Turner swiftly seized the advantage. Mounted on Green’s back, Turner relentlessly delivered a barrage of forceful strikes to Green’s head.

However, the expected intervention from referee Kerry Hatley to conclude the match seemed indefinitely delayed.

Amidst Turner’s continuous assault, Green struggled to mount any form of defense. Surprisingly, approximately 15 additional punches landed while Green lay almost defenseless.

Commentator Brendan Fitzgerald exclaimed in utter disbelief: “What else do you need? What else do you need?”

UFC icon and commentator Michael Bisping later echoed the sentiment, questioning the prolonged inaction. He said: “That was disgusting, he was face down, he was getting teed off on by a world-class very powerful striker, it was disgusting…Kerry Hatley, he’s a great referee but what the hell was he waiting for? It’s as simple as that, people’s lives are at stake, their longterm future…That was utterly disgusting and disgraceful, I bet if he were face down on the Octagon with some cracking on his face he’d want it to be stopped sooner”

UFC CEO Dana White vehemently criticized veteran referee Kerry Hatley’s handling of the situation, labeling it one of the worst stoppages in MMA history. The response from fans and experts alike was severe.

UFC legend Daniel Cormier expressed his dismay. He wrote on X: “One of the absolute worst stoppages in mma history like wtf was going on. On your stomach taking punches and it still isn’t enough. Crazy !”

Journalist Ariel Helwani echoed similar sentiments, terming the delay in the stoppage as “criminal.” He wrote on X: “He was done at 2:23. It got stopped at 2:11. Criminal”

After the match, Cormier spoke with Turner in the Octagon. Even he expressed amazement at how long the bout went on.

Turner said: “I ain’t going to talk down the ref, but yes I am. Come on, like how much more? Bobby was a little wobbled. But I gotta go until they pull me off, that’s part of my job.”