Words cannot even begin to describe how abhorrent and borderline criminal referee Wiekus Swart’s performance was at yesterday’s EFC Africa 28 event. To quote Gene Wilder, Wiekus Smart is a “stupid, ignorant son of a bitch, dumb bastard” who should have his license revoked and be barred from attending an MMA event, watching an MMA event, or even listening to an MMA-themed podcast until he is shed of this mortal coil.
Let’s take a step back. About three weeks back, specifically, when EFC Africa fighter Booto Guylain died as a result of head injuries he suffered during a TKO loss to Keron Davies. It was a devastating moment for the tightly-knit EFC community, and one that EFC Africa President Cairo Howarth dubbed “a huge loss to the sport and to all who know him.”
It was also a tragedy placed at the forefront of EFC 28 yesterday, with all of the evening’s competitors donning a black armband to honor Guylain in a touching, if frightening reminder of how dangerous a sport MMA can be. Yet at this very same event, referee Swart allowed this catastrophe of common sense and human judgement to take place during a fight between Christophe Walravens and Bernado Mikixi.
How many illegal shots to the back of the head did you count after Walravens dropped Mikixi? 10? 12? How many seconds did you count between Walravens pleading with Swart to end the fight and Swart’s intervention?
I’ve never said that the job of an MMA referee was an easy one, nor have I ever claimed that I could do it better than those who do. But this is unforgivable. Allowing this man to continue refereeing MMA fights would be akin to allowing Denzel Washington’s character in Flight to continue flying planes.
In an era of MMA where referees are still only being held accountable for their actions on message boards and blogs, a precedence needs to be set that the job of protecting two trained fighters from killing one another is not one to be taken lightly, nor is it one that should be granted to any asshole with $600 and 3 days of spare time. An example needs to be made. Wiekus Swart is that example.
Words cannot even begin to describe how abhorrent and borderline criminal referee Wiekus Swart’s performance was at yesterday’s EFC Africa 28 event. To quote Gene Wilder, Wiekus Smart is a “stupid, ignorant son of a bitch, dumb bastard” who should have his license revoked and be barred from attending an MMA event, watching an MMA event, or even listening to an MMA-themed podcast until he is shed of this mortal coil.
Let’s take a step back. About three weeks back, specifically, when EFC Africa fighter Booto Guylain died as a result of head injuries he suffered during a TKO loss to Keron Davies. It was a devastating moment for the tightly-knit EFC community, and one that EFC Africa President Cairo Howarth dubbed “a huge loss to the sport and to all who know him.”
It was also a tragedy placed at the forefront of EFC 28 yesterday, with all of the evening’s competitors donning a black armband to honor Guylain in a touching, if frightening reminder of how dangerous a sport MMA can be. Yet at this very same event, referee Swart allowed this catastrophe of common sense and human judgement to take place during a fight between Christophe Walravens and Bernado Mikixi.
How many illegal shots to the back of the head did you count after Walravens dropped Mikixi? 10? 12? How many seconds did you count between Walravens pleading with Swart to end the fight and Swart’s intervention?
I’ve never said that the job of an MMA referee was an easy one, nor have I ever claimed that I could do it better than those who do. But this is unforgivable. Allowing this man to continue refereeing MMA fights would be akin to allowing Denzel Washington’s character in Flight to continue flying planes.
In an era of MMA where referees are still only being held accountable for their actions on message boards and blogs, a precedence needs to be set that the job of protecting two trained fighters from killing one another is not one to be taken lightly, nor is it one that should be granted to any asshole with $600 and 3 days of spare time. An example needs to be made. Wiekus Swart is that example.
Much like that of a police officer, an intern, or a mid-level MMA blogger, the job of an MMA referee is an oft thankless one, rife with controversy and Internet comments from anonymous people claiming that they could do it better than you (that last part may be a bit specific). But after watching this supercut of “The Worst Stoppages in MMA” compiled by TapNapSnap, you might begin to understand why most fight fans hold MMA referees second only to MMA judges on the list of incompetent fuck-ups who are ruining the sport. Truly a life of never-ending agony and disappointment, that of the MMA fan.
Whether it’s horrifyingly late stoppages like Marius Zaromskis vs. Andrey Koreshkov, “virgin on prom night”-premature stoppages like Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson 1, or just plain bizarre stoppages and stand-ups that have occurred over the years in Bellator, Strikeforce, and the UFC (among several smaller promotions), this video is sure to remove any traces of empathy you had left for MMA referees, and in fact, it might send you into a blind rage that ends with the mass killing of anyone wearing a vertically striped shirt. We will not be held liable, in any case.
Much like that of a police officer, an intern, or a mid-level MMA blogger, the job of an MMA referee is an oft thankless one, rife with controversy and Internet comments from anonymous people claiming that they could do it better than you (that last part may be a bit specific). But after watching this supercut of “The Worst Stoppages in MMA” compiled by TapNapSnap, you might begin to understand why most fight fans hold MMA referees second only to MMA judges on the list of incompetent fuck-ups who are ruining the sport. Truly a life of never-ending agony and disappointment, that of the MMA fan.
Whether it’s horrifyingly late stoppages like Marius Zaromskis vs. Andrey Koreshkov, “virgin on prom night”-premature stoppages like Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson 1, or just plain bizarre stoppages and stand-ups that have occurred over the years in Bellator, Strikeforce, and the UFC (among several smaller promotions), this video is sure to remove any traces of empathy you had left for MMA referees, and in fact, it might send you into a blind rage that ends with the mass killing of anyone wearing a vertically striped shirt. We will not be held liable, in any case.
If a botched call is generally known as a “Mazzagati,” then this referee just earned the Pornstache Lifetime Achievement Award for this epic flub. Passed along to us by none other than KarmaAteMyCat, the above video depicts what may be the worst referee blunder in the history of MMA. Sound impossible? Prepare to have your puny minds blown.
The event was Warrior Nation XFA III. The day was April 20th. In a preliminary 135 lb contest, Justin Kristie made his amateur debut against fellow rookie David Baxter. You can watch most of the first round if you’d like, but we recommend that you skip to the 4:13 mark, where, with ten seconds remaining, Kristie locks in a tight triangle. Baxter either throws some open palm strikes, or in our opinion, appears to tap with five seconds remaining. The ref doesn’t react, a pattern that will become disturbingly apparent in the very near future, so Kristie promptly chokes Baxter the fuck out as the bell sounds.
This is where things take a turn into the truly bizarre.
If a botched call is generally known as a “Mazzagati,” then this referee just earned the Pornstache Lifetime Achievement Award for this epic flub. Passed along to us by none other than KarmaAteMyCat, the above video depicts what may be the worst referee blunder in the history of MMA. Sound impossible? Prepare to have your puny minds blown.
The event was Warrior Nation XFA III. The day was April 20th. In a preliminary 135 lb contest, Justin Kristie made his amateur debut against fellow rookie David Baxter. You can watch most of the first round if you’d like, but we recommend that you skip to the 4:13 mark, where, with ten seconds remaining, Kristie locks in a tight triangle. Baxter either throws some open palm strikes, or in our opinion, appears to tap with five seconds remaining. The ref doesn’t react, a pattern that will become disturbingly apparent in the very near future, so Kristie promptly chokes Baxter the fuck out as the bell sounds.
This is where things take a turn into the truly bizarre.
Kristie immediately celebrates upon seeing that Baxter is without a doubt in the world unconscious, a sentiment that is also picked up by a few of his cornermen and any audience member without cataracts. Meanwhile, the referee halfheartedly attempts to hold Baxter down as he begins to seizure, staring at him with the ineptitude and helplessness of a slutty white female in a horror movie, before several physicians make their way into the ring.
After simply staring down at Baxter’s unconscious body for a few moments, the officials quickly scatter and allow Baxter’s cornermen to his side, realizing that the guys in Tapout shirts are far more trained to deal with the situation at hand than they are. By the time the one-minute warning whistle has been blown, Baxter has fully regained consciousness, and despite the fact that he has spent the last minute in a pile on the mat, is allowed to continue.
“How bout that, ladies and gentlemen? We’re going to see a round 2,” remarks the strip club DJ, which somehow doesn’t cause everyone in Kristie’s corner to launch into a full-on Joe Mikulik meltdown. Apparently this promotion follows the Chael Sonnen “If you tap out you only lose the round” school of logic. That, or the original referee and ringside physicians were replaced by Frank Drebin and his crew of cohorts in an undercover effort to catch a local con man or purse snatcher.
On the off chance that you haven’t already rage-fired your computer into a wall, here comes the craziest part yet. Re-energized by his temporary crossover into the afterlife, Baxter actually manages to rally in the second round and score a TKO victory over his gassed and flabbergasted opponent. Why Kristie wasn’t given the same opportunity to recover for the third round is beyond us. In either case, this referee, along with the “physicians” at ringside who have not yet acquired the proper medical schooling to recognize when someone is clearly unconscious, should not only be rebuked for their actions, they should be barred from ever stepping foot in an MMA event in Massachusetts for the rest of their natural lives. Hell, their children shouldn’t even be allowed near an MMA event for this disastrous call.
We’re not going to treat you like the idiots involved in the above fiasco, but suffice it to say, allowing a fighter to compete after he has just been choked out is insanely dangerous bordering on criminal. The fact that Baxter managed to use the incompetency of the crew who is supposed to be protecting him to his advantage is a moot point.
Yeah, she spent more time on the cage than in it. (Photo: Las Vegas Sun)
Since the late 90’s I’ve seen the same assertion rear its head on MMA email lists, usenet groups, and internet forums from time to time: The best fighter in the world isn’t in the cage or the ring. He’s toiling away in a South American coal mine or defending his land in Sub-Saharan Africa. His legend will never extend beyond the shores of his remote Pacific island and he’ll never be able to prove his abilities to the world. To a certain degree, this must be what life is like for Gilbert Melendez.
Finding out that your company is staying afloat and that your job is secure would normally be terrific news, but despite his admirable towing of the company line, you have to know that “El Niño” was gutted when he realized that Strikeforce wasn’t going anywhere and neither was he. The bright lights, big networks, and top paydays of the UFC will not be his. More importantly, neither is the opportunity to prove himself against the best in the world.
Yeah, she spent more time on the cage than in it. (Photo: Las Vegas Sun)
Since the late 90′s I’ve seen the same assertion rear its head on MMA email lists, usenet groups, and internet forums from time to time: The best fighter in the world isn’t in the cage or the ring. He’s toiling away in a South American coal mine or defending his land in Sub-Saharan Africa. His legend will never extend beyond the shores of his remote Pacific island and he’ll never be able to prove his abilities to the world. To a certain degree, this must be what life is like for Gilbert Melendez.
Finding out that your company is staying afloat and that your job is secure would normally be terrific news, but despite his admirable towing of the company line, you have to know that “El Niño” was gutted when he realized that Strikeforce wasn’t going anywhere and neither was he. The bright lights, big networks, and top paydays of the UFC will not be his. More importantly, neither is the opportunity to prove himself against the best in the world.
Strikeforce has thus far found Melendez the best competition available, but there’s no question that he’s outgrown his little pond. Bouts against ranked, or even credible, competition will be few and far between from here on out, which is why it’s all the more important that the champ make a statement with each and every punch. Last night he failed to do that. This is not to take away from Masvidal, as he is dangerous, but most consensus rankings place him somewhere in the mid-to-high 20′s. Melendez put together solid combinations and stayed out of trouble round after round, which was more than enough to convincingly win the fight. But right now he’s stranded out on that island. If he wants to earn the kind of attention and respect that he’s after, he’s going to have to light a massive fire and scream a little louder with his performances.
“Cyborg” Santos has a different kind of problem. If I was a female mixed martial artist I’d be investing in a compass and a rubber dingy and setting sail for some place uncharted. Dominatrix Hiroko Yamanaka found herself on the receiving end of a beating last night. Something tells me it was neither as enjoyable nor lucrative as her other gig. Keep in mind that Yamanaka wasn’t suggested to Strikeforce by a local fraternity—this was the #2 female fighter at 145lbs, and she got trounced in sixteen seconds. To paraphrase Dan Henderson: the question isn’t whether the fight was stopped too early, it’s whether it should have even started in the first place. Cyborg is talking about dropping weight in search of better competition. If that happens you can expect a sudden interest in a 125 lb. division to emerge. A match with bantamweight champion Miesha Tate may offer the Brazilian her best challenge. Another option being mentioned is a bout with MMA upstart Ronda Rousey. Rousey’s transition to MMA has nothing short of amazing thus far. Her lack of in-cage experience hasn’t deterred her from beefing with Miesha Tate, and while I think jumping into the deep end of the shark tank with Cyborg would be ill-advised, if “Rowdy” really wants to take the helm of WMMA then she needn’t cut carbs out of her diet just yet.
The evening’s undercard yielded more competitive action and decision wins for K.J. Noons and Gegard Mousasi.
Noons came up short in the stand-up battle in round one. Neither man capitalized on successful takedowns, and as the two traded hands Billy Evangelista got the better of the exchanges. Noons wisely varied his attack with kicks and combinations in rounds two and three. It was enough to take those rounds but not enough to wipe the mocking smirk from Evangelista’s face. Noons faded in round three and nearly fell victim to a choke, but he survived and broke his two-fight skid.
Gegard Mousasi also managed to pick up his first win in three Strikeforce appearances, though “The Dreamcatcher” had been active outside of the organization. This was a big step up in competition for the streaking Ovince St. Preux, who came into the bout on an 8-0 run. Mousasi’s calm aggression and experience allowed him to control the former defensive end and come close to ending things more than once in the first round. OSP (so we’re officially running with that, right?) simply wasn’t ready for the next level, but he put Mousasi in more than one precarious position and shouldn’t be embarrassed by his performance. No, that dishonor falls squarely on the shoulders of referee Steven Davis, who not only threatened to stand fighters up when they had dominant positions but actually did so as they actively unloaded on their opponents. The words “piss poor” come to mind.
Main Bouts (on Showtime):
-Gilbert Melendez def. Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
-Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Hiroko Yamanaka by TKO at :16, R1
-Gegard Mousasi def. Ovince St-Preux by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
-K.J. Noons def. Billy Evangelista by unanimous decison (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Preliminary Bouts (non-televised): -Caros Fodor def. Justin Wilcox by KO at 0:13, R1
-Roger Bowling def. Jerron Peoples KO (Strikes) at 0:42, R1
-Devin Cole def. Gabriel Salinas-Jones by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), R3
-Eddie Mendez def. Fernando Gonzalez by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29), R3
-Herman Terrado def. Chris Brown by Submission (Armbar) R3
We’re going to accept some of the blame for this one, fellas. After taking a clear stance on the former UFC champion hanging up his gloves, we celebrated a couple of relativelyunimpressive victories and practically encouraged Jens along. Well, no more.
Last night Pulver looked to get back on the winning track at regional start-up Resurrection Fighting Alliance against the 6-2-1 Tim Elliott. “Little Eagle Evil” got dropped halfway through the first round, but survived the ensuing torrent of punches which left both men visibly tired. Neither fighter looked recovered from the break as they headed into round two. Elliott backed a weary Pulver against the cage with a combination before reaching for a thai clinch. As Jens shot in, a well-timed knee put him down and out.
Pulver is a grown man and the decision to call it quits belongs to him alone, certainly not to an MMA website, and certainly not to a moderately irresponsible one. That being said, when you see an aging fighter get laid out like that and then see him admit that he didn’t train seriously for the fight, you’ve got to question his decision making ability.
After the jump, a beautiful 26-second head kick KO from last night’s event.
We’re going to accept some of the blame for this one, fellas. After taking a clear stance on the former UFC champion hanging up his gloves, we celebrated a couple of relativelyunimpressive victories and practically encouraged Jens along. Well, no more.
Last night Pulver looked to get back on the winning track at regional start-up Resurrection Fighting Alliance against the 6-2-1 Tim Elliott. “Little Eagle Evil” got dropped halfway through the first round, but survived the ensuing torrent of punches which left both men visibly tired. Neither fighter looked recovered from the break as they headed into round two. Elliott backed a weary Pulver against the cage with a combination before reaching for a thai clinch. As Jens shot in, a well-timed knee put him down and out.
Pulver is a grown man and the decision to call it quits belongs to him alone, certainly not to an MMA website, and certainly not to a moderately irresponsible one. That being said, when you see an aging fighter get laid out like that and then see him admit that he didn’t train seriously for the fight, you’ve got to question his decision making ability.
After the jump, a beautiful 26-second head kick KO from last night’s event.
(Video props: YouTube/Vadge99)
Ok, so James Krause needed a few follow-up punches to complete the knock out, but he still made quick work of last minute substitution Mark Korzenowski. This fight is basically a carbon copy of his 41-second knock out victory at Titan FC earlier this year.
Also worth mentioning, “The Hurricane” picked up a win in his first post-UFC fight and his MMA debut as a light-heavyweight.
Timothy Elliot defeats Jens Pulver via KO/TKO, Knee–Round 2 of 3 Ramico Blackmon defeats Dakota Cochrane via Decision, Unanimous–3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Justin McCully defeats Justin Grizzard via KO/TKO, Punches–Round 1 of 3 Gilbert Yvel defeats Damian Dantibo via KO/TKO, Punches–Round 1 of 3 Jared Downing defeats Eric Marriott via Decision, Unanimous–3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Aaron Elydefeats Angelo Antuna via Choke Out (damn late stoppage)–Round 1 of 3 Mark Dickman defeats Ted Worthington via KO/TKO, Punches–Round 2 of 3 James Krause defeats Mark Korzenowski via KO/TKO, Head Kick–Round 1 of 3 Alonzo Martinez defeats Mario Ramos via Submission, Verbal Submission–Round 1 of 3 Tyler Perry defeats Anthony Simants via KO/TKO, Punches–Round 1 of 3 Enrique Torres defeats Derek Williams via Submission, Kimura–Round 1 of 3
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.
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?
