Neil Magny carved out a memorable, albeit controversial, moment in UFC history at the recent Perth event.
The seasoned contender made his 36th Octagon appearance, facing off against fellow veteran Jake Matthews. Their welterweight bout was a featured attraction on the main card, preceding the highly anticipated headliner between Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes.
A pivotal moment in the fight saw Matthews seemingly secure a submission victory, locking in a guillotine choke that momentarily appeared to render Magny unconscious. However, the situation was not as straightforward as it first seemed.
Referee`s Decision Sparks Debate: Magny`s Fight Continues After Premature Stoppage
As the first round drew to a close, Matthews expertly applied a guillotine choke to Magny. Observing what appeared to be a limp arm movement from Magny, the referee intervened and stopped the fight just seconds before the horn. Magny, however, immediately protested the stoppage, vehemently asserting that he was conscious and capable of continuing.
In a rare turn of events, the referee acknowledged his premature intervention and, after consultation, allowed the fight to resume. This decision was met with mixed reactions, with commentators praising the referee`s “nice save” for correcting an initial error.
The controversy culminated in the final round, where Magny himself secured a submission victory, tapping out Matthews. This win marked Magny’s 24th triumph in the UFC, positioning him as second only to Jim Miller (27 wins) in company history for most victories.
Fan Reactions Pour In: Was the Stoppage Fair?
Despite Magny`s eventual win and his clear consciousness after the choke was released, the referee`s decision to restart the fight ignited a significant debate among fans and pundits. Many argued that once the referee had stopped the contest, regardless of the circumstances, the fight should have been concluded.
“Insane turn of events. Never seen that before in the UFC,” one fan commented on the Magny vs. Matthews bout.
“Regardless this fight needs to change to a no contest,” another fan asserted.
“The ref stopped the fight and then changed his mind once he realized he messed up you can’t do that lol YOU STOPPED THE F—— FIGHT. If I was Jake I would appeal this and for the UFC staff to allow it is crazy,” a fan passionately argued.
“The ref pulled Matthews off of him with time on the clock. That is a stoppage. This should be overruled,” another viewer complained.
“Damn….. Some controversy with this one. Got subbed in round 1, then it was called off and gets the sub 2 rounds later,” a fan posted.
“Fire the ref and give them a nc [no contest]. Neil’s arm went loose and ref stopped it, that’s the fight,” another fan chimed in.
Neville Whittle 
Jack Thornley