'Stop the fight!': Ref's 'infuriating' mistakes stun MMA world

An MMA referee has been ripped to shreds after backing out of a stoppage and allowing a fighter to receive a further 20 seconds of heavy blows to the head.

Austin Hubbard defeated Killys Mota in the main event of LFA 56 in Minnesota, winning the vacant lightweight title, but the headlines unfortunately belonged to referee Joe Fipp.

It all began at the end of the first round, when Fipp reportedly called a choke stoppage when Mota had a hold on Hubbard but backtracked after apparently getting distracted by the 10-second warning.

The more egregious errors came in the last minute of the fifth and final round.

Hubbard had his rival down against the cage with 45 seconds left and landed numerous punches before Mota stood up one last time.

He was down again after just two more punches and Fipp jumped in, appearing to wave his hand to call a halt to the beating.

But he stopped in his tracks, put his hand on the cage and let the fight continue.

“He started to step in to stop it and then backed back out,” the expert commentator said.

“Stop the fight! Stop the fight!”

Fans began booing, well aware the ugly scenes inside the cage were beyond fair competition.

“This is a joke. He’s not defending himself,” the lead commentator screamed.

“What do you want? Now over and out. Unnecessary beatdown, though. You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Even Hubbard, who threw more than 30 punches after Fipp’s abandoned stoppage, seemed relieved when the referee finally stopped the fight with 10 seconds left.

People outside the cage could be seen “going off” on the referee during Hubbard’s celebrations, with one commentator adding “he deserves it”.

Video of the disappointing end caught the eye of respected MMA referee Marc Goddard, whose perspective on the late stoppage highlighted Fipp’s mistake.

“People have no idea how much I’ve lambasted myself if I think a fighter took one maybe two shots too many under my watch,” he wrote.

“It’s a difficult game that few truly understand. But this, THIS breaks my heart, angers & infuriates all in one. Good God!”