Referee Mike Beltran found himself at the center of a debate during UFC Vegas 82 prelims.
In the lightweight preliminary clash featuring Trey Ogden and Nikolas Motta, where Ogden showcased dominance throughout, a pivotal moment occurred in the third round. Ogden applied an arm-triangle choke, showcasing his control of the fight. Responding to Beltran’s inquiries about Motta’s well-being could have inadvertently tightened the choke. In a split-second decision, Beltran assessed Motta’s active and defensive arm before abruptly halting the bout, much to Motta’s evident displeasure.
The controversy lingered beyond the cage, with the match ultimately declared a no contest despite Ogden’s evident control. This decision left both the MMA community and UFC fighters puzzled. Dominick Cruz didn’t hold back, expressing his discontent with Beltran’s decision during the broadcast and continuing his critique on social media post-event.
Mike Beltran Makes Huge Mistake at UFC Vegas 82
Explore the diverse reactions of other UFC fighters to this contentious moment during the UFC Vegas 82 prelims.
UFC Fighters React
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
