As the fallout from a controversial night in Atlantic City continues, Daniel Cormier has slammed one fighter for acting like a ‘soccer player’ rolling on the floor.
UFC Atlantic City had it all with the MMA fanbase decidedly split over multiple instances of foul shots leading to fight-ending sequences, yet one headline that dominated the weekend was Chris Weidman’s controversial victory over Bruno Silva.
UFC Atlantic City contest overturned from TKO to technical decision
Bruno Silva protested almost immediately after the referee had called a stop to the UFC Atlantic City co-main event, with the replays showing a nasty double eye-poke from the ‘All American’ in the seconds leading up to the finishing sequence.
Bruce Buffer announced the fight as a TKO win for Weidman yet even before everyone was out of the octagon, the broadcast team confirmed that the contest had been overturned to a technical decision.
As many fans expect an official appeal to be lodged, former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier has said that the optics of Silva’s immediate reaction have cost him dearly.
Daniel Cormier likens Bruno Silva to a ‘soccer player’ for eye-poke reaction
Whilst social media was decidedly split on both the fight-ending sequence and post-fight reactions, former double champion Daniel Cormier took a firm stance on the side of Weidman.
Speaking on the latest episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy, Cormier went as far as to liken Bruno Silva’s immediate reaction to being eye-poked to that of soccer (football) players, known for their diving and over-the-top rolls:
“To me, it felt like a soccer player when they get fouled and they’re rolling around on the ground when the guy barely touches them,” said Cormier.
“Look Bruno Silva got eye-poked, but I think he understood where he was in the fight; he was getting beat, he was losing, he fell to the ground, he was hoping ‘wait wait stop stop stop poke in the eye fight no contest’ instead Weidman went and finished it – that’s my thought.”
‘DC’ argued that Weidman “deserved to get a victory in that fight because he fought so well,” adding that as soon as the Brazilian collapsed to the ground, “Chris Weidman did what his instincts told him and that was to go finish Bruno Silva.”
Chael Sonnen thinks this story might not be over just yet
In the aftermath of the controversial UFC Atlantic City co-main event, some fans have questioned whether an appeal from Silva would merit any tangible results like an immediate rematch, given how one-sided the fight had been to that point.
As explained by Chael Sonnen, such conversations surrounding the eye-pokes need addressing should a rematch take place later down the line, especially since Weidman might be close to retiring from the sport:
“Bruno and company have said that they’re going to appeal it and the reason, I think it’s important that maybe we do get this properly adjudicated, I think there’s a rematch – I mean you have to go to a rematch if they overturn this decision.”
“You try to go out on top [and] not very many guys get to do that,” said Sonnen, adding “If this does get pushed back on, you’re going to have a rematch and look it does come down to a lot of technicalities.”