A facinating fight between Gegard Mousasi and Chris Weidman tonight at UFC 210 ended in farcical fashion after the referee wrongly deemed a legal knee to have been illegal, then realized his mistake several minutes later.
Round One:
Mousasi looking for a big punch early here, but Weidman just out of range. Jab for Mousasi does land though and knocks Weidman slightly off-balance.
Kick to the body from Weidman that’s partially caught by Mousasi, but the former champ breaks free.
Weidman with a quick takedown and gets Mousasi to the mat. Weidman locking in a guillotine choke and it looks tight, but Mousasi stays calm, and breaks free as he powers back to his feet.
Back to striking they go, but not for long as Weidman goes for another takedown and lands it in the center of the Octagon. Mousasi slick down their though and manages to wriggle out and get back to his feet.
Mousasi with a swing and a miss. Weidman goes for his third takedown, but this time Mousasi is able to stay upright against the cage. Weidman continues to work for it, but it’s not happening and they break apart.
Exchange in close and it’s Weidman who lands and hurts Mousasi. Mousasi showing a good chin there, but he can’t take too many of them.
Weidman gets another takedown. Again it’s not long before Mousasi is upright again, but he doesn’t look entirely steady on his feet.
At close range Weidman lands a punch that hurts Mousasi again. This isn’t the first round he had been hoping for with Weidman not only landing his takedowns, but also troubling him on the feet too.
Round Two:
Jab from Mousasi. Head kick attempt from Weidman. Mousasi lands a punch and Weidman backs up. Mousasi unleashes a combo and Weidman is just in defensive mode close to the cage.
Weidman gets out and Mousasi presses forward and tries for a takedown that’s stuffed. With nothing doing they separate. Weidman goes for the takedown and he lands it.
Weidman a little bloodied, but in a good spot here in the center of the cage on top. Weidman does well to move forward to full mount, then gets his back with half the round remaining.
Mousasi turns in on Weidman and almost gets on top, but Weidman does very well to reverse again to remain on top.
Back to the feet they go and Mousasi launches a knee after a failed takedown attempt from Weidman, then lands another. The ref steps in saying that it was an illegal knee due to Weidman having both hands on the mat.
Weidman slumps to the floor as the referee gives him to recover. However, replays show that Weidman’s hands were lifted off the mat just as the blow was landed.
There’s mass confusion in the Octagon with nobody seeming to know how to proceed next. After several minutes the doctors decide Weidman is unfit to continue and so Mousasi wins by TKO at 3.13mins of the second round.
What a bizarre, farcical and wholly unsatisfactory end to an exciting, competitive fight that was! The fight should never have been stopped as the knees were legal, but there’s nothing that can be done about it now other than to hopefully book a rematch ini the near future.
