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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC President Dana White has often been critical of referees in the sport. In fact, he's had more than few choice words for many of those who continue to be employed by athletic commissions at the highest level. However, while Miesha Tate remains unhappy with referee Kim Winslow's stoppage of her fight with Cat Zingano last Saturday night, White is actually in rare agreement with Winslow's actions.
"She was in a bad position; I think it was a good stoppage," White said of the fight (via MMAJunkie.com). "People can say her hand was down and everything else, but she just ate six, seven, eight knees. It was time for the fight to be stopped."
"Her hand might have been down for a second. First of all, it's a stupid rule anyway. It's the dumbest rule in the sport, number one. Number two, the referee was right there while the fight was going on. Not that that's one of my favorite referees – there's a lot that that referee doesn't see – but I do not agree that was a bad stoppage. It was a good stoppage. Was it illegal, what happened? If she saw it or didn't see it, that fight needed to be stopped either way in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of the ref who reffed that fight; there's a lot of stuff that that referee doesn't see. But I have absolutely no beef whatsoever with that stoppage."
Penick's Analysis: It really wasn't that controversial of a stoppage, and Winslow's been far more egregious on that front in the past. But given her track record it's understandable that Tate would be upset. Again, though, Tate was in a bad spot, and even if the fight had continued for a bit, she was likely to be stopped shortly thereafter. It wasn't the type of stoppage where she has a clear case it was early, and given the way she was taking those knees against the cage, it was reasonable. White clearly feels the same way, and unfortunately for Tate she's just found herself on the wrong end of Zingano's comeback moment.
[Dana White art by Travis Beaven (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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