'Disgraceful': UFC world left mortified over referee's 'terrible' act

Sports Reporter

Sat, 18 Jan 2020, 11:42 pm

UFC fans were left fuming after the referee was criticised for an extremely late stoppage during Drew Dober’s victory over Nasrat Haqparast.

Dober, fighting on the main card of Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone, floored his opponent and went to work on a defenceless Haqparast.

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Referee Mark Smith eventually called the TKO and awarded Dober the victory.

But fans were left enraged Smith didn’t call the fight off sooner and allowed Dober to throw multiple punches to a defenceless opponent when he was on the ground.

WOW! Dober drops Haqparast and then finishes him with a blitz on the ground. Ref probably let him take a couple too many shots. #UFC246
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) January 19, 2020

I’m just gonna hazard a guess that 11 punches against a defenseless opponent is common sense to stop a fight, no?
— JT (@jshjosh41) January 19, 2020

🤷🏼‍♀️ where ya at, ref?
— JFitnessChicago (@JFitnessChicag1) January 19, 2020

He hit him 10 ten times before it was called off, TEN
disgraceful sport
— Trent Raymond (@Katentrent) January 19, 2020

Terrible ref. Legit 3 punches late stop
— Legend534 (@JohnPiles1) January 19, 2020

Damn ref!
— Fightfan325 (@fightfan325) January 19, 2020

Dober has now won five of his last six fights in the lightweight division.

Drew Dober standing over opponent Nasrat Haqparast as the referee calls off the fight. — Drew Dober knocks out Nasrat Haqparast of Germany in their lightweight fight during the UFC 246 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 18, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Fans anger over McGregor-Cerrone payday

UFC fans have been stunned at the sizeable difference between purses Conor McGregor and Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone will receive ahead of their showdown.

McGregor, the former featherweight and lightweight champion who will fight for the first time in 15 months on Saturday when he meets Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena, was always going to pull in huge numbers for his octagon return.

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And the Nevada Athletic State Commission re-confirmed his position has the biggest drawcard in the UFC announcing ‘The Notorious’ would make $3 million for walking in to the octagon (prior to PPV sales).

But it was the purse of veteran Cerrone that left UFC fans perplexed.