The decision made by referee Marc Goddard to stop the Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira bout at UFC 295 on November 11 sparked some controversy. In the second round of their match, Pereira knocked Prochazka down with a left hand. Despite Prochazka’s recovery and attempt to initiate a takedown, Pereira responded with a series of elbow strikes to the head.
Prochazka went down again, enduring additional punches from Pereira until Marc Goddard intervened, but many fans, fighters, and even the UFC commentary team expressed the opinion that the stoppage appeared somewhat premature. There was considerable criticism regarding the stoppage, particularly from fellow UFC fighters. It seemed premature, and losing such a crucial fight in that manner is undeniably disheartening.
However, former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka himself was not too angry with the referee’s decision to stop the fight. However, he did feel that things could have gone better if Goddard had waited for some extra seconds. “Marc Goddard was right. Maybe two or three seconds, and it would be a different way, but what happened happened. I accept that,” said ‘Denisa’ on his Instagram account.
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‘The Czech Samurai’ had been inactive since his intense fight against former UFC champion Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 in 2022. Despite winning the light heavyweight title in that bout, a significant shoulder injury forced him to relinquish the championship.
Making his return to action after a year and a half, his performance against Pereira wasn’t bad. While there might be room for improvement in his leg checking, the bout was a competitive clash. Hopefully, Prochazka will return to the cage soon, embarking on his journey to redemption.
Fighters bash Marc Goddard after his controversial stoppage at UFC 295
Alex Pereira, a former middleweight fighter who currently holds the Light Heavyweight Championship, emerged victorious over Prochazka in under two rounds of their bout. Nevertheless, the point of contention for many fans was the refereeing by Marc Goddard. Serving as the official for the Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira fight, Goddard’s performance, according to many, fell short of expectations.
A lot of fighters were disappointed after this stoppage and took to social media to express their thoughts. “BULLSH*T EARLY STOPPAGE!!! MARC GODDARD DOES IT AGAIN! WE ARE FIGHTERS; LET US FIGHT!!! #UFC295″, wrote Merab Dvalishvili.
Horrible stoppage
— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) November 12, 2023
UFC featherweight contender Muhammad Mokaev shared his dissatisfaction through a tweet, stating, “Horrible Stoppage”. Dominic Cruz also wasn’t too impressed by the stoppage, as he wrote, “That was way too early for a stoppage!”
It’s not the first instance of fans expressing displeasure over Marc Goddard’s officiating in crucial UFC fights. It would be interesting to see if UFC boss Dana White intervenes amidst the controversy surrounding the main event of UFC 295.