UFC enthusiasts are urging Dana White to remove Rodolfo Bellato from the roster, believing he faked being knocked out by an illegal upkick from Paul Craig.
The rescheduled light-heavyweight bout between the two in Atlanta concluded as a No Contest this morning. This happened because the Brazilian fighter was judged unable to proceed after receiving a kick to the face.
Scottish submission expert Craig landed the kick on Bellato, who was in a grounded position (one knee down), just before the first round concluded.
Initially, Bellato appeared to be unconscious from the strike, lying on the mat with his arms extended.
However, replays indicated that Bellato, a Contenders Series alumnus, remained conscious despite dramatically falling backward.
Bellato quickly seemed to recover and, appearing somewhat dazed, attempted to shield himself by moving towards the cage wall.
The former LFA titleholder was ruled unable to continue, leading to the No Contest declaration.
MMA enthusiasts doubted the severity of Bellato`s injury from the upkick. They voiced their opinions on social media, demanding the 29-year-old be released by the UFC for what they saw as simulation.
One fan commented, accusing Bellato of faking a knockout to secure an unfair win against Paul Craig, calling it an “utter embarrassment” and insisting “The UFC needs to cut him immediately.”
Another commenter bluntly demanded, “Cut him immediately!”
A third viewer remarked that they instantly recognized it as faking, believing Bellato intended for Craig to be disqualified, describing the situation as “absolutely insane.”
One person observed that Bellato seemed to protest the foul and then feign concussion almost simultaneously, labeling it an “embarrassment to the sport.”
Another added their voice, stating, “Yes, Dana should fire this guy right away. Who would do that?”
A stunned viewer sarcastically described Bellato`s actions as “top-tier diving.”
Addressing the claims of Bellato faking, Craig said in his post-fight press conference, “A few people contacted me about this. They`re saying it looked a bit like a flop, as if he might have been overacting.
I don`t like to think any fighter in this sport is seeking an easy escape. We`re all competitors at the peak of our careers in the UFC, aiming to perform.
However, I can see why some might look at it and think it appears `floppish` or that `he`s maybe taking a dive.` I don`t personally believe that right now, but I`ll need to review it. It`s still fresh.”
Percy Harlow