Welterweight prospect Erick Silva (13-2-1) hoped to make it 2-0 in the UFC against Carlo Prater, but after stopping his opponent just 29 seconds into the fight, referee Mario Yamasaki said the end result came from blows to the back of the head, giving the win to Prater due to disqualification.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
Yamasaki’s bad call will be the main thing people remember about this fight, but it’s hard to ignore the quick work Silva made of his solid opponent.
The replay showed a legal knee hurt Prater, and the follow-up punches that Yamasaki called illegal were nothing but finishing strikes. They had nothing to do with the end result other than being used to DQ Silva.
Yamasaki was interviewed post-fight and said he couldn’t make a decision based on the replay. He had to make the decision as he saw it.
What We Learned About Prater
Prater’s debut didn’t show much, and he didn’t even have the chance to do so. The fight lasted barely 30 seconds, and he was on his way out or on to losing by TKO when the fight was called off.
His record stands at 30-10-1.
What We Learned About Silva
Silva’s two UFC victories combine for a total of 69 seconds. This win just further proves he is one of the fastest rising prospects from Brazil, and a good one to watch in the welterweight division.
What’s Next for Prater
If Prater doesn’t get a rematch with Silva, he will end up getting a lower-tier fighter in the division. He can maybe face the loser of the upcoming Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope fight.
What’s Next for Silva
A fight versus Mike Pyle, who was victorious on the undercard, is the next step for Silva. Pyle is an experience veteran and has faced some of the best fighters in the division. It would be a true test for Silva.
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