Heading into his UFC Fight Night 95 fight against Antonio Silva, Roy Nelson had lost three of his last four fights. A loss could have sent Nelson packing from the UFC. But, The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 winner got the much needed win, scoring a second round knockout. Still, Nelson could be facing some major issues.
The knockout victory didn't leave people talking as much as Nelson kicking referee John McCarthy after the stoppage ocurred.
"Big Country" felt McCarthy should have put a halt to the fight sooner instead of making him continuing to punch his friend. He doesn't regret his actions.
"It was a push," Nelson said when asked about the situation at the post-fight press conference. "It was more of like, dude, come on. Then we had a conversation in the cage. I was like, 'Dude, he was knocked out.' And he was like, ‘No, he wasn't.' And I'm like, dude, I know what a knockout is. I knock people out. That's what I do for a living. I know what a knockout is. Just because the guy didn't roll his eyes into the back of his head, or shake, or whatever...it was just one of those things. I didn't want to hurt ‘Bigfoot' more than I had to. And I got taken by the moment, because it's like I'm beating the sh*t out of somebody and you're like, dude, enough is enough. And for me, it hurt my feelings. And I apologize to Big John, but I wouldn't take it back. It just hurt me, that I've got to keep on hitting a guy that doesn't need to be hit. It wasn't like he was so far away. He was over here to my side, and I know I had a conversation. I'm like, he's out. He's like, ‘no he's not, keep on moving.' So for me, I feel like I'm giving ‘Bigfoot' extra damage, where he doesn't actually need to get hit that much."
UFC Senior VP and GM of Brazil Giovani Decker said they wouldn't punish Nelson and it would be up to CABMMA, Brazil’s Superior Justice Court of Sport.
CABMMA has decided to not follow the lead of the UFC and said Nelson will face possible punishment for the incident.
“Even though CABMMA understands Roy Nelson’s ‘frustration’ in that situation due to his close relationship with his opponent, that does not justify his act and can open a serious and dangerous precedent in the sport," spokesperson Cristiano Sampaio in an email to MMA Junkie. "We, as the regulation body of MMA in Brazil and member of the Association of Boxing Commissions, will not tolerate such conduct. All the licensed professionals involved have to act accordingly, respecting the rules, commission, promoter and fans, where unsportsmanlike behavior will be subject to fines and suspensions."
Dana White wasn't happy about the situation, and said as much on the most recent UFC Unfiltered Podcast.
"I’ve been traveling since the fight so I haven’t seen what’s going on, but if the Brazilian athletic commission doesn’t reign on him, man, it’s not good," White said. "You don’t ever put your hands on a referee. I don’t care what the circumstances are, you don’t do it. Listen, we don’t always agree with them, we have our favorites, we have our least favorites, (Steve) Mazzagatti. The guy, no matter how good or whatever you feel about him, they are there for your safety. They are there to keep you safe. F*cking, that dope isn’t the… you know what I mean?"
Nelson hasn't made a statement on whether he will fight the matter. UFC fighter Jason High was fired in 2014 after shoving a referee following his UFC Fight Night New Mexico loss to Rafael dos Anjos.
