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A long and generally strange MMA weekend ended in controversy on Sunday night, as referee Mario Yamasaki’s stoppage at UFC Fight Night 112 ruined what was looking to be a star-making performance by Kevin Lee, who submitted Michael Chiesa with a first-round rear-naked choke in the night’s main event.
Lee was potentially seconds away from choking Chiesa out clean with Chiesa’s own signature move, but Yamasaki ultimately stopped the contest before a tap, leading to an outraged Chiesa to call for an immediate rematch. That outrage was largely shared by the pros online, who had plenty to say about Yamasaki’s decision.
KEVIN LEE DEF. MICHAEL CHIESA
Yamasaki strikes again. #UFCOKC
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) June 26, 2017
That Yamasaki decision to stop the fight robbed Lee of the tap and Chiesa of the escape. Bad! Just let it go. It's a choke! #UFCOKC
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) June 26, 2017
WTF did Yamasaki just do?!?! JESUS MAN!! Not saying that choke wasn't on but BRO, LET US FIGHT!! #UFCOKC
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) June 26, 2017
He didn't call the illegal elbows and he stopped it early bad calls ref #UFCOklahoma
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) June 26, 2017
Is this fight in NY? I didn't see Mike tap but the ref stopped it? Wtf?? @ufc
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) June 26, 2017
Damn!! That's horrible!! Cmon ref!
— Michael Johnson (@FollowTheMenace) June 26, 2017
That's a bummer
— Dom Shonuff Waters (@Shonuff89) June 26, 2017
NOOOOOO FUCKING MARRRIO!!! #UFCOklahoma #UFCOKC
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) June 26, 2017
What a terrible way to end the card.
— Chase Sherman (@ChaseShermanUFC) June 26, 2017
There was no tap!! What????? #UFCOKC #ufc it was in but you have to tap. The ref should have grab his arm to see if it was limp
— Aiemann Zahabi (@Aiemannzahabi) June 26, 2017
Awful
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) June 26, 2017
That's some bullshit. He was obviously close to tapping but he didn't. Big fuck Up by the ref. Come on! @ufc
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) June 26, 2017
Very bad stoppage
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) June 26, 2017
Just ran home to see that ! No tap !? That sucks man. Feel for chiesa. Look what Kish got out of earlier in night. Not over.
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) June 26, 2017
Fire Mario Yamasaki!!! Worst ref in history! @ufc #UFCOKC
— Bobby Nash (@B_Nashty) June 26, 2017
Damn he allowed illegal elbows and then prematurely stopped the fight. Ahhhhhh nooooo it wasn't over
— Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) June 26, 2017
That was a deep choke but you gotta know when to stop a fight and that was a BAD stoppage @ufc #UFCOKC
— Chris Kelades (@keladesmma) June 26, 2017
Mario is a BJJ black belt. He's experienced enough to wait for the tap. Kish looked done as well. Again, awful stoppage. I picked Lee to win https://t.co/C1EgIBDvdT
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) June 26, 2017
Except for the part where Chiesa got up immediately after the stoppage https://t.co/C1EgIBDvdT
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) June 26, 2017
This our sport ladies and gentlemen, and what we deal w/whenever we step into that cage. Mike wudve went out on his shield...LET HIM! ♂️
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) June 26, 2017
How can you measure someone's heart by ripping it right out of them?!
— Jon SuperSaiyan Tuck (@JonCruzTuck) June 26, 2017
It was deep but there was short time... he didn't even check him if his excuse was he thought he was out.. Damn that sucks
— sheldon westcott (@sheldonwestcott) June 26, 2017
Illegal elbows early stoppage, Mario you're fired #UFCOklahoma fuck that
— Chito Vera (@chitoveraUFC) June 26, 2017
That's not fair to @MikeMav22
— Chito Vera (@chitoveraUFC) June 26, 2017
Seriously the worst ref and UFC history! #FireHim #NoTap
— Marion Reneau (@BelizeanBruiser) June 26, 2017
Can we run that fight back please #UFCOKC
— Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) June 26, 2017
Yamasaki is THE WORST! I said it before the fight even started! SMH!!!
— Marion Reneau (@BelizeanBruiser) June 26, 2017
When are referees gonna be held accountable for bad calls? I know it's a tough job but a bad call changes people's lives
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) June 26, 2017
Besides that...Kevin Lee looked really good tonight #UFCOklahoma
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) June 26, 2017
Chiesa does go a little limp for a second in the replay.
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) June 26, 2017
Was a good stoppage! #UFCOKC
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) June 26, 2017
Could've went a second or 2 longer. But went from defending the choke to limp hands. #UFCOKC
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) June 26, 2017
It was over. @DominickCruz #Detroit baby ! #MarioSavesLives #GoodReff #AnyBlackBeltWillTellYou #DontGetPutInThatPosition
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) June 26, 2017
Aside from the controversy it's safe to say that Kevin Lee looked like a fuckin killer tonight. #UFCOklahoma #UFCOKC
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) June 26, 2017
Calling out Khabib?? Nobody calls out Khabib
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) June 26, 2017
Yo @MoTownPhenom I got next!! Let's do the shit!! Don't be scared homie!
— James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) June 26, 2017
TIM BOETSCH DEF. JOHNY HENDRICKS
Man, that was a vicious head kick by boetsch. Beautiful technique and power. #UFCOKC
— Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) June 26, 2017
The Barbarian lands a HEAVY kick to the head and then flurries on Bigg Rigg for the win. #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/d9VP2HT635
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) June 26, 2017
Daaaaaymn!! #UFCOkahoma
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) June 26, 2017
Incredibly odd now he stayed down on one hand and knee. Like he thought he was sparring or something. Strange.
— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) June 26, 2017
Boetsch was too good and too big for Hendricks tonight. R2 tko for Boetsch #UFCOKC #ufc
— Aiemann Zahabi (@Aiemannzahabi) June 26, 2017
Misses weight at 185 but he is clearly a welterweight ...#confused https://t.co/9CdhpliuCw
— Chris Kelades (@keladesmma) June 26, 2017
Awesome KO by The Barbarian @TimBoetsch #UFCOKC
— Dom Shonuff Waters (@Shonuff89) June 26, 2017
Cashing in on Boetsch tonight. Def the best chance underdog on the card @ 5-1 for the finish. Thank you #UFCOKC
— Damien Brown (@beatdown155) June 26, 2017
FELICE HERRIG DEF. JUSTINE KISH
Kish is tough ! Good work from Herrig
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) June 26, 2017
Kish is incredibly tough, but Felice dominated her for almost the entirety of their fight. Impressive. #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/5CMOXdWryJ
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) June 26, 2017
Damn 30-26! #UFCOKC
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) June 26, 2017
Great job @feliceherrig looked awesome!
— Brad Tavares (@BradTavares) June 26, 2017
Great win for @feliceherrig. And man @JustineKish is so tough. She kept powered through the RNC. Great fight #UFCOKC
— Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) June 26, 2017
Great performance @feliceherrig picture perfect fight!!
— sheldon westcott (@sheldonwestcott) June 26, 2017
Give Herrig 50gs!!!!! #ufc #UFCOKC
— Aiemann Zahabi (@Aiemannzahabi) June 26, 2017
Awesome fight @feliceherrig @JustineKish #UFCOklahoma
— Bec Rawlings (@RowdyBec) June 26, 2017
Looks like I'm cashing in! Thank you @feliceherrig
— Chas Skelly (@ChasSkelly) June 26, 2017
Had the "goodnight Kish" tweet ready like... #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/CenaE5UOtW
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) June 26, 2017
Is that DOODOO on the Canvas!
— Chase Sherman (@ChaseShermanUFC) June 26, 2017
pic.twitter.com/JhceoWwcuo
DOMINICK REYES DEF. JOACHIM CHRISTENSEN
Dominic Reyes with a quick tko win #ufcokc
— Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) June 26, 2017
Give that man his 50G's!! @ufc
— James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) June 26, 2017
DAMN. Hell of a debut. #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/xhzQKsR1D2
— Chase Sherman (@ChaseShermanUFC) June 26, 2017
Very impressed by the performance of "Devastator." #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/0G1ve1PBTp
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) June 26, 2017
Damn, gave that dude a bloodstache #UFCOKC
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) June 26, 2017
Congrats to the homie @DomReyes so happy for you bro https://t.co/j59ofwy8Jq
— Curtis Blaydes (@RazorBlaydes265) June 26, 2017
TIM MEANS DEF. ALEX GARCIA
@MeansTim great job, one of my all time favorite fighters. Great rang accuracy & super clean in the pocket #cheers #Goonsqade #UFC214
— Seth Baczynski (@Sethbmma) June 26, 2017
Alex Garcia is one of the most in shape people we've seen since the USADA era #UFCOklahoma
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) June 26, 2017
Win or lose we saw improvement in my man @AlexGarciaMMA. His boxing looked better and so did his cardio! Proud of u! #ufc #UFCOKC
— Aiemann Zahabi (@Aiemannzahabi) June 26, 2017
DENNIS SIVER DEF. B.J. PENN
Sad to see a performance like that from #legend #bjpenn @ufc #UFCOKC Him & #fedor need to retire and not tarnish anymore of their legacies
— Jordan Rinaldi (@JordanRinaldi) June 26, 2017
Nice job @bjpenndotcom still a great fight
— Julianna Peña (@VenezuelanVixen) June 26, 2017
Easy 2 see BJ doesn't have the fight left...hard to see a legend continue as a shell of his former self #UFCOklahoma
— Chris Kelades (@keladesmma) June 26, 2017
Hurts me to see BJ get hit that much. #UFCOKC
— Zebrinha MMA (@EricSpicely) June 26, 2017
I really hope that's the last we see of the prodigy. If so, thanks for all the violence and memories, BJ. #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/Kucy63gmyJ
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) June 26, 2017
Wtf i like BJPENN too much I don't want to see this anymore he is a legend brutal watching that last round @ufc #UFCOKC
— Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) June 26, 2017
A lot of people say the UFC should release or cut BJ Penn, but what would Penn do then. Fight still. BUSINESS is a doggy dog world!
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) June 26, 2017
When you want it more you win @ufc solid W @DennisSiver
— Charles Rosa (@CharlesRosaMMA) June 26, 2017
strange performance from BJ Penn tonight. 0 Takedown attempts and a nonexistent gas tank.
— Mike Brown (@mikebrownmma) June 26, 2017
Hard to see legendary fighters continue to fight past their prime & get beat up badly. Destroys the legacy they worked hard to build #UFCOKC
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) June 26, 2017
BJ continues to fight because he doesn't have other ways to financially provide for himself & family. It's the only explaination.
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) June 26, 2017
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