An MMA/Boxing referee is a compilation of rules and knowledge in combat sports, bridging differences and making quick calls. However, a bridge can take umbrage with issues. A referee went out of his resolve and went on the offensive this Friday night when a fighter sucker punched him! This happened at Shuan Boxing Promotion (SBP) in the Dominican Republic.

A big right overhand by Angel Cruz on the SBP card downed the opponent in R2. Julio De Jesus looked dazed against the rope, compelling the referee to call a stoppage. De Jesus fired back with a sucker punch; the referee let it boil and backtracked all the way down to the other side to uncork his own punch. The cornermen on both sides, along with Cruz, broke them up.

In combat sports, referees are meant to be as unbiased as possible. There have been instances of referees slowing the count when a fighter gets knocked down in boxing. Even Joe Rogan has noticed this and criticized the referee’s count during the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou bout. However, a clear bias was spotted in the recent Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia bout due to questionable officiating.

Even then, it doesn’t warrant for a referee to get sucker punched like in the Cruz vs. De Jesus bout. This avoidable encounter will surely result in a hefty and potential ban from the sport. The fighter will likely regret making such a decision once the officials convene to review the incident. Bizarre instances like this always happen in combat sports.

Wild melee erupts at Karate Combat as the president chokes out the disruptor

Karate Combat 47 took shape from inside Universal Studios Florida, OL, this Friday (June 28, 2024). It was quite an event that followed, not because of the fights within the bound. But more so because of the one outside of it. It was a pretty wild scene, to say the very least.

Karate Combat holds a special place in the mix-rule combat sphere. Even color commentator Joe Rogan, a Taekwondo specialist, takes notice. Combat veteran Luke Rockhold recently won big at Karate Combat 45 in Dubai against seasoned striker Joe­ Schilling. However, it’s a whole other scenario that went viral this Friday.

The incident occurred after Luis Melendez and Jose Esparza clashed in a welterweight bout. Both fighters entered Friday’s main card clash with pro records of 1-0. Ultimately, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards unanimously in favor of Melendez. Esparza believed he was the winner of the bout.

While Melendez gave his post-fight speech, an opposition cornerman jumped bounds to confront the winner. UFC veteran Sam Alvey and Karate Combat president Asim Zaidi intervened. Consequently, Zaidi choked the cornerman and distanced him to the corner. Talk about brilliant spatial control!

Zaidi would be giving premier combat sports helmsman Dana White a run for his money after his stint…It puts a whole new perspective on practicing what you preach. Nevertheless, the incident has put a spotlight on the promotion. It remains to be seen if the cornerman faces any fines or suspension for his action.