Dana White Critical of Referee Stoppage in Claudio Henrique Da Silva-Danny Roberts Bout
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The welterweight clash between Claudio Henrique da Silva and Danny Roberts at UFC London ended in controversy when referee Kevin Sataki halted the contest 2:37 into the third stanza, claiming he heard a verbal submission from “Hot Chocolate.”
Da Silva secured a tight armbar in the third frame, but Roberts
appeared on the verge of escaping after slamming his foe to the
canvas. Unfortunately for Roberts, Sataki had a different
perspective.
“The ref stopped it at a time when I escaped,” Roberts said in his post-fight interview. “I’m just gutted. I’m disappointed…So when the ref stopped that I was already out of that armbar. I had already transitioned to the other side and I was OK. I might’ve made noise, I might’ve grunted. It hurt. But I was ready to come out and keep on going until the end of the third round. We hadn’t finished. I wasn’t done.”
Roberts wasn’t the only one unhappy with the stoppage. UFC President Dana White took to Instagram to voice his disapproval while also apologizing to Roberts.
“Kills me when these refs f---k up and steal such a great fight and opportunity from not just the fighters but the fans!” White wrote.
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