Count UFC president Dana White among those upset with referee Kevin Sataki.
Sataki came under fire Saturday for his questionable stoppage in the welterweight contest between Claudio Silva and Danny Roberts at UFC London. In a controversial sequence, Sataki deemed Silva the winner via verbal submission at 2:37 of the third round after Roberts was caught in an armbar attempt.
Roberts immediately protested the stoppage and subsequent replays were inconclusive as to whether Roberts said anything in the scramble or made any noise that would constitute a verbal submission.
“The ref stopped it at the time when I escaped,” Roberts said afterward. “I’m just gutted. I was already out of the armbar. I might have grunted, it hurt. But I wasn’t done.”
White wasted little time jumping on social media to echoed Roberts’ sentiments.
The UFC president posted to Instagram, “Kills me when these refs FUCK UP and steal such a great fight and opportunity from the not just the fighters but the fans!!!!!” White also apologized to Roberts.
he controversial loss snapped a two-fight winning streak for Roberts (16-4) and dropped his total UFC record to 6-3.
Silva (12-1), meanwhile, moved to a perfect 4-0 to start his Octagon career.
What did you think of Sastaki’s stoppage?