Tag: Steve Mazzagatti

Strikeforce Challengers 18: Rousey Bends an Arm, Mazzagatti Blows a Call, Sun Rises in the East and Sets in the West

D’Alelio vs. Rousey by heretherhere

If the best indicator of future performance is past behavior, the outcome of last night’s battle between Ronda Rousey and Sarah D’Alelio was written on the wall. Rousey, an Olympic medalist judoka, entered the cage with two pro and three amateur bouts under her black belt, all having ended via submission in under a minute. Referee Steve Mazzagatti sports a panoply of blown calls and poor decisions that have earned him the dishonor of being labeled one of MMA’s worst referees. When lightening fast submissions meet questionable decision making, get ready for the fireworks.

The trouble started for D’Alelio the moment the bell rang; Rousey switched up her takedown attack feverishly until she succeeded in bringing the fight to the mat just eighteen seconds into the bout. The trouble started for Mazzagatti about eight seconds later, when he stopped the fight based on a rumor he’d heard that D’Alelio had verbally submitted. The truth is that that Rousey was more than capable of making D’Alelio tap and tap quickly, and her odds of escaping that armbar were slim. But it doesn’t look like Mazzagatti stepped in because D’Alelio tapped verbally or otherwise, or because she was in immediate danger. Rousey stops torquing the arm and turns toward Mazzagatti to inform him that D’Alelio had cried out “Tap! Tap!”, and though we haven’t heard his side of the tale it looks like he takes her word for it and ends the fight. D’Alelio claims to have yelled “Wahahaaahaa!” in response to the pain, but that she never wanted out of the fight. D’Alelio could call for a rematch, but the end result would probably be the same. As for Rousey, how about a fight with Kyra Gracie?

Get full results and gifs of Rousey’s near-wardrobe mishap at the weigh-ins and Derek Mehman’s gruesome cut after the jump.


(Video Props: heretherhere)

If the best indicator of future performance is past behavior, the outcome of last night’s battle between Ronda Rousey and Sarah D’Alelio was written on the wall. Rousey, an Olympic medalist judoka, entered the cage with two pro and three amateur bouts under her black belt, all having ended via submission in under a minute. Referee Steve Mazzagatti sports a panoply of blown calls and poor decisions that have earned him the dishonor of being labeled one of MMA’s worst referees. When lightening fast submissions meet questionable decision making, get ready for the fireworks.

The trouble started for D’Alelio the moment the bell rang; Rousey switched up her takedown attack feverishly until she succeeded in bringing the fight to the mat just eighteen seconds into the bout. The trouble started for Mazzagatti about eight seconds later, when he stopped the fight based on a rumor he’d heard that D’Alelio had verbally submitted. The truth is that that Rousey was more than capable of making D’Alelio tap and tap quickly, and her odds of escaping that armbar were slim. But it doesn’t look like Mazzagatti stepped in because D’Alelio tapped verbally or otherwise, or because she was in immediate danger. Rousey stops torquing the arm and turns toward Mazzagatti to inform him that D’Alelio had cried out “Tap! Tap!”, and though we haven’t heard his side of the tale it looks like he takes her word for it and ends the fight. D’Alelio claims to have yelled “Wahahaaahaa!” in response to the pain, but that she never wanted out of the fight. D’Alelio could call for a rematch, but the end result would probably be the same. As for Rousey, how about a fight with Kyra Gracie?


(Gif courtesy of Zombie Prophet)

Full Results (via MMAJunkie.com)

OFFICIAL MAIN CARD RESULTS

  • Joe Duarte def. Jorge Gurgel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Nate James def. Danillo Villefort via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Pat Healy def. Eric Wisely via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Ronda Rousey def. Sarah D’Alelio via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 0:25
  • Derrick Mehmen def. Roy Jones via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

OFFICIAL PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS

  • Gian Villante def. Keith Berry via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Nah-Shon Burrell def. Lukasz Les via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:09
  • Mike Bronzoulis def. Chad Leonhardt via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 1:30
  • Milton Vieira def. Sterling Ford via technical submission (brabo choke) – Round 1, 4:49

Ronda Rousey Beats Sarah D’Alelio; Steve Mazzagatti at Center of Controversy

Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsFormer U.S. Olympian Ronda Rousey won her first Strikeforce fight in short order Friday night, beating Sarah D’Alelio with an arm bar in just 25 seconds. Unfortunately, Rousey’s performance isn’t what everyone will be talk…

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Ronda Rousey continues her sizzling start to MMA.Former U.S. Olympian Ronda Rousey won her first Strikeforce fight in short order Friday night, beating Sarah D’Alelio with an arm bar in just 25 seconds. Unfortunately, Rousey’s performance isn’t what everyone will be talking about.

Instead, the story of the fight was that referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight even though D’Alelio didn’t tap out.

Rousey used her world-class judo technique to take D’Alelio down and sink in an armbar at the start of the first round, but D’Alelio seemed poised and ready to fight off the arm bar, and she did not tap out. Surprisingly, Mazzagatti stepped in and stopped the fight anyway.


Afterward, Rousey and D’Alelio offered differing accounts of what happened: Rousey claimed that D’Alelio verbally submitted by saying, “tap, tap.” D’Alelio said she did no such thing. Mazzagatti did not give a post-fight interview to explain what happened.

UFC President Dana White has called Mazzagatti the worst referee in MMA, and Mazzagatti has been widely derided by MMA fighters, media and fans. This incident will do nothing to change that.

 

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Stephan Bonnar: ‘No Hard Feelings’ to Steve Mazzagatti

Filed under: UFC, NewsDana White didn’t make an appearance at the press conference following “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 Finale on Saturday.

But even though past comments are no guarantee for what he’ll say in the future, it’s safe to assume the…

Filed under: ,

Dana White didn’t make an appearance at the press conference following “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 Finale on Saturday.

But even though past comments are no guarantee for what he’ll say in the future, it’s safe to assume the UFC president would have been asked about Steve Mazzagatti, the referee he’s made a habit of being critical of more than any other official.