In a bizarre ending to the main event at UFC Fight Night 22, Nate Marquardt knocked out Rousimar Palhares with a series of huge punches on the ground -- only to have Palhares appear to complain afterward that Marquardt had been cheating by greasing up his legs.Palhares seemed to have Marquardt exactly where he wanted him on the ground, sinking in one of his signature heel hooks. But Marquardt pulled his leg free, and when he did, Palhares complained to referee Herb Dean that Marquardt must have been greasing. It was stupid of Palhares to complain to the referee during the fight, and Marquardt made him pay for it, landing a hard punch and then a bunch more punches until Dean stopped the fight.
Afterward Marquardt insisted that he had done nothing improper, and Palhares shook Marquardt's hand, hugged him, and seemed to acknowledge that Marquardt was the rightful winner.
UFC President Dana White went on Twitter and declared that Marquardt had been checked by the Texas State Athletic Commission and was "dry as a bone," and Marquardt said that if his legs felt slippery, it was just because of sweat.
"They checked it before I fought," Marquardt said. "I came out really warm because I wanted a good sweat. I wanted to be slippery. I just saw an opportunity and jumped on it."
Marquardt improved his record to 30-9-2, and this win will go a long way toward putting him back in UFC middleweight title contention. Palhares, who fell to 11-3, will go home kicking himself for complaining to the referee when he should have been fighting, and getting knocked out as a result.
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