'Let the girls take beatings': UFC refs accused of sexist calls

A women's strawweight fighter has accused UFC referees of sexism and called on the organisation to "let the girls take beatings too" after a TKO stoppage ended her bout at UFC 218.

Angela Magana was defeated by Amanda Cooper on the preliminary card of the event in Detroit, the fight stopped by referee Keith Peterson with 26 seconds left in the second round.

It was her third consecutive loss with UFC and fifth across all MMA promotions.

Despite the form line suggesting she was unlikely to overhaul Cooper, Magana argued in a series of tweets that UFC referees provide male fighters more wiggle room.

"I need to walk in the cage with a banana in my shorts and a crew cut then maybe the ref will let the fight go," she wrote.

"Men can f***ing tap out from strikes get hit and the ref wont stop it till 7 shots later after near death experience #equalrightsinfights #letthegirlstakebeatingstoo."

The incident in question came later on the UFC 218 card when Charles Oliveira was mauled by Paul Felder in the second round of their lightweight bout.

Oliveira tapped seemingly in plain sight of the referee following a hard elbow to the head, but it was missed and Felder connected with six more similar shots.

See the incident in the video player above

Magana claimed she was holding on for the bell to regroup as Cooper gained the upper hand in the final minute of the second round.

"Amanda was f***ing bashing me & overpowering me, I wasnt rocked still moving was completely aware," Magana continued.

"I immediately sat back & bitched at ref. Heard my corner yell out I had less than 30 seconds. I was thugging it out hoping for a 3rd & have a chance back on my feet again.

"In no way by wanting another round am I taking anything from Amanda, in fact her dominance of me could have been far worst I just wanted that opportunity to let that transpire and have another go."

Magana is a controversial figure in the octagon owing to her presence on The Ultimate Fighter 20 in 2014.

As MMA fans called on the UFC to release Magana -- seemingly filling her Twitter account with messages in that vein -- the 34-year-old hit out at her critics.

"As for haters will you ever have Bruce Buffer announce your name?" she wrote.

"Or Jon Anik & Rogan acknoweledging improvement in your stand up? Have Rogan talk about how incredibly tough you are be entertained & amazed by pure will to struggle out of a choke?

"No you won't & that's why you hate."