Controversy quickly arose during the UFC Vegas 106 event.
Following Hyun Sung Park`s successful return from a 17-month break with the first finish of the night, the strawweight division saw contenders Denise Gomes and Elise Reed face off at the UFC APEX.
The fight was largely one-sided and concluded in the second round with a knockout that sparked considerable anger among MMA fans.
The Controversial Finish
Just twenty seconds into the second round, Gomes landed a powerful overhand right that sent Reed crashing to the canvas.
Reed attempted to recover and stand, but before she could regain her balance, she absorbed several more punches to the head and was immediately dropped again as soon as she managed to get off the floor.
UFC commentator Michael Bisping immediately called for the fight to be stopped, repeatedly shouting “She`s done!”, but referee Jason Herzog initially hesitated.
The experienced official allowed Gomes to land several hard ground strikes before finally waving off the bout.
Fan Outrage Directed at Jason Herzog
Viewers watching from home were quick to voice their strong disapproval of the stoppage during the Gomes vs. Reed fight online.
“Jason Herzog is legitimately the worst ref in MMA now, lol,” one fan angrily stated. Another questioned, “Did Elise Reed owe Jason Herzog money? Because she took about 10 too many shots there?”
“If she dies, she dies. Come on ref,” someone else remarked.
A fourth fan sarcastically commented, “A bit of an early stoppage if I’m being completely honest.”
“That was an incredibly late stoppage. Absolutely terrible,” another user on X (formerly Twitter) commented.
A sixth fan wrote, “That was a HORRIBLE stoppage. Jason Herzog might have just ended Reed’s career.”
Percy Harlow