One matchup at Lions Fights 23 was over before it ever got started.
There has been a lot of talk about MMA referees in the aftermath of Alex Pereira’s criticism of Herb Dean that followed the White House card.
While being an official isn’t an easy job, sometimes their job is taken out of their hands thanks to decisive actions made by the fighters.
We may have seen an 8-second KO at UFC Baku this past weekend, but a different bout that took place on the same weekend ended immediately after the referee signalled for the start of the opening round.
Who is the best UFC referee?
Michel Pantoja leaves opponent and referee puzzled with instant tap at Lions Fights 23
On June 27 in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, Lions Fights 23 took place and featured a particularly puzzling result.
A bantamweight matchup between Matheus Kokama and Michel Pantoja ended in just two seconds due to an instant tap out.
After Pantoja stepped into the cage and posed while being announced, he touched gloves with his opponent, then knelt down and tapping the canvas.
He immediately got up and waved his hands in the air while his opponent and the referee looked around in confusion at what they’d just seen.
MMA database Tapology provided the following examination of this bout when explaining why it wouldn’t count on either man’s professional record.
“While information regarding this bout was provided by a fighter or promoter, it has been deemed by Tapology to be ineligible for the participants’ win-loss records. Reason: Bout – Not Hard-Fought To International Standards.”
Pantoja’s pro record now stands at 1-3, with him suffering three stoppage losses.
It has been suggested on social media that he was involved in a crash on his way to the fight, hence the instant tap out, though this hasn’t been confirmed.
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