Controversial UFC stoppages are relatively common, but we rarely see UFC staff engaging in such a heated debate about contentious results.
The last major controversial decision would have been Ciryl Gane’s defeat of Alexander Volkov at UFC 308, but that one subsided quickly. The same can’t be said for Chris Curtis’ stoppage in the final seconds against Roman Kopylov at UFC Vegas 101, which had Paul Felder and Din Thomas up in arms.
In the final frames of their three-round fight, Kopylov launched a hail mary 2-3-head kick that wobbled Curtis to his knees. Referee Mark Smith jumped in to stop the fight before the final buzzer could sound. It was the seventh time in UFC history a fight was stopped with one second left on the clock.
Paul Felder and Din Thomas argue controversial Kopylov-Curtis finish
The result marked the first time Curtis had been dropped in his UFC career and the first knockout loss on his UFC record. It wasn’t without debate; commentators Paul Felder and Din Thomas had wildly different views on the stoppage.
Speaking on the UFC Vegas 101 Post Show, Felder and Thomas debated Smith’s refereeing. Felder insists that Curtis should have been given the second, and Thomas believes Smith worked in Curtis’ best interest.
“Nobody is saying [Curtis would have won the decision],” Felder said. “But in a battle like that . . . That fight should not have been stopped. . . . There’s a second on the clock and Kopylov is nowhere near him. . . . I wish he would have had the opportunity to at least stand and have the decision read as opposed to being a TKO.”
Thomas disagreed, “I’m gonna side with Mark Smith here. . . . It’s not his job to make sure that the fighter gets a moral victory. . . . It’s not the referees job to watch the clock […]”
“I couldn’t disagree with that any more though, Din,” Felder rebuked. “The guy is still getting up to his feet, there’s no fighter near him. . . . Even if the clock isn’t there, you’ve gotta let it go!”
Unfortunately, nothing can be done about the stoppage. Curtis should have the option to appeal the decision, but it’s typically a fruitless endeavor.
Unlucky streak for Chris Curtis
Curtis’ last five fights have all been marred in one way or another. ‘The Action Man’ was headbutted on route to his decision loss to Kelvin Gastelum. Another headbutt caused a no-contest between Curtis and Nassourdine Imavov – who now challenges Israel Adesanya.
After this, Curtis picked up a tight split decision over Marc-Andre Barriault. Then, an injury influenced the judges’ scorecards in Curtis’ rematch loss to Brendan Allen. Curtis’ last-second TKO loss to Kopylov is the cherry on top of an unfortunate streak – granted, it doesn’t continue.