Maranhao says he was simply ‘dizzy, not out’ when he fell off his stool between rounds at RFA

The fight world was shocked and scandalized with Zombie Prophet posted a gif of Flyweight Junior Maranhao falling off his stool between rounds of his RFA 14 title fight against Matt Manzanares and being revived and allowed to continue fighting.

MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz spoke to Maranhao and got his side of the story:

“It probably looked shocking for some, but it was kind of normal to me. I know that that image is impressive, but I was fine.

“I was in that triangle for a long time,” he said. “The referee told us to stop but then he let the fight continue, and that was when (Manzanares) locked the triangle. I was dizzy (when the round ended). When I went back to my corner to sit down, I kind of missed the stool and fell with my face on the ground. My corners stood me back up and I was okay. I was dizzy, that’s it. It may look that I was out, but that’s not what happened.

“I came back and I won the fifth round, and I don’t understand the reason for this controversy,” he continued. “I know that the image is shocking, but we’ve seen worse things in the UFC, guys that go out and get back. I think that the doctors made the right call. I think I would have gone crazy if they had stopped the fight.”

The most interesting part of the story is where Maranhao’s account briefly contradicts the official version of the Wyoming State Athletic Commission who issued a statement saying Maranhao was “was thoroughly examined by a licensed physician after he fell off his stool between the 4th and 5th round” and he was “medically safe to and capable of finishing the fight.”

“No, they came to talk to me and do the exams after (the fight),” he said.

Maranhao left the phone for a second to ask his coaches if the doctor really entered the cage to check on him in between rounds.

“They came in between the rounds and asked if I was okay,” Maranhao changed his story. “And right after the event, the commission and the doctors did all the exams as well.

“I saw that some people are trying to blame the commission, the promoters or even my coaches, so I’m really upset about it,” he continued. “I want to make clear that nothing happened. It’s a mistake (to blame them), and it can hurt us.”

From watching video of the fight it does not appear that Maranhao was examined by a physician between rounds.