'Disgusting': Fans pelt UFC fighters with bottles after main event shock

Fans have erupted on social media after footage showed crowd members showering fighter Jeremy Stephens with popcorn and empty bottles after the UFC main event was cut short due to an eye poke.

Despite lots of drama and uncertainty after the last blow was thrown Saturday in Mexico City, the UFC main event contest between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens was technically over just 15 seconds after it began.

The two faced-off and exchanged blows briefly before Rodriguez followed up a kick of his by raking the eyes of Stephens with his left hand.

Stephens immediately reacted to the banned eye-gouge, and referee Herb Dean stepped in to halt the fight and look Stephens over. The fight would never re-start.

Dean calmly and sagely instructed Stephens to take time to let his eye relax a bit before attempting to open it and having doctors look at it, telling him he had five minutes to attempt to recover from the illegal move after “Lil Heathen” told the official that Rodriguez had “got me good.”

Dean also took control when the cageside physician entered, and let the doctor know that he recommended that Stephens be given a full five minutes to attempt to open his eye for examination, unless the doctor believed the fighter needed immediate attention.

After Stephens was unable to open his eye on his own even after all that time had elapsed, Dean called the fight. The bout was officially ruled a no-contest, and not a disqualification, despite the fight being ended by a disallowed move on Rodriguez’s part.

But following the bout, fans showed their frustration by pelting Stephens with food and empty bottles as he left the arena.

Rodriguez, who Stephens had taunted as an unmanly fighter leading up to the bout, was livid as well. Eventually, he calmed himself in time for a post-fight interview.

“Forgive me,” he said.