Four fighters have received medical suspensions following Saturday's live finale of Season 12 of "The Ultimate Fighter" in Las Vegas. Co-main event winner Stephan Bonnar, Fight of the Night winners Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan and Knockout of the Night victim Fredson Paixao were all given medical suspensions by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The NSAC reported the suspensions to MMA Fighting on Monday.
Bonnar suffered a cut on his head thanks to a pair of illegal knees on the ground from Igor Pokrajac. Pokrajac had a point taken away by referee Steve Mazzagatti between the second and third rounds for the infraction. Late in the third, Bonnar, too, lost a point for strikes to the back of Pokrajac's head, but he still dominated all three rounds and won a 29-26 unanimous decision on all three scorecards. Thanks to the cut, he was given a 21-day suspension with no contact for two weeks.
Phan and Garcia, who slugged it out for three rounds en route to a highly controversial split decision win for Garcia, were also suspended 21 days each with 14 days of no contact, both for cuts suffered on their heads. Garcia got 29-28 nods on the scorecards of Adelaide Byrd and Tony Weeks, but judge Junichiro Kamijo saw it 30-27 for Phan. Phan told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of "The MMA Hour" that UFC president Dana White told him afterward he believed he had won the fight – and paid him his win bonus, despite the official loss.
Paixao suffered a brutal knockout courtesy of a flying left knee to the chin from Pablo Garza. Paixao remained down on the canvas for nearly 10 minutes as doctors secured his neck with a collar and administered oxygen as precautions. Paixao was ultimately helped to his feet, helped out of the cage and taken from The Pearl at The Palms on a stretcher. He was suspended for 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
In addition to the medical suspensions, the NSAC ruled that two fighters on the card would need specific medical clearances before being allowed to fight again – though they were not given suspensions.
Jonathan Brookins, who survived a first-round barrage from Michael Johnson to dominate the final two rounds and win the Season 12 title of "The Ultimate Fighter," must have his left foot x-rayed. If the results are positive, he will need a doctor's clearance before his next fight. Otherwise, he is not allowed to fight until June 3, 2011.
And Ian Loveland, who took a short-notice fight against Tyler Toner and won by unanimous decision, must have the second finger on his left hand x-rayed and cleared by a doctor before returning. Otherwise, he is not allowed to compete until June 3.
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