Alessio Sakara has lost his appeal to the Quebec sporting authorities and his disqualification loss to Patrick Cote at UFC 154 will stand. La Presse is reporting that La Régie des Alcools des Courses et Des Jeux (the Quebec equivalent of an athletic commission) spokesperson Joyce Tremblay said that “the decision of the arbitrator is final and without appeal.”
Sakara hit Cote in the back of the head repeatedly, forcing ref Dan Miragliotta to stop the fight. Initially it appeared that Miragliotta was calling the fight a TKO win for Sakara but after reviewing the tape and talking to Quebec authorities cage side, the fight was ruled a DQ loss for Sakara.
Sakara appealed the decision since he was never warned for illegal strikes.
According to the Quebec’s commission rules, a referee can “warn a competitor, penalize by points or disqualify without prior notice” depending on the foul committed.
UFC President Dana White expressed frustration with Miragliotta, saying the ref should have stopped the fight after 1 or 2 illegal punches, warned Sakara and re-started the action. Instead Sakara hit Cote 10 or 11 times before Miragliotta stopped the fight.
White has indicated that Sakara and Cote will get a rematch to settle the matter.
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