Dana White not impressed with cageside doc

The better man won in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 31 on Saturday night. But it was weird. At the end of Round 2, referee Herb Dean was on the verge of stopping the fight, as Edmen Shahbazyan lay dazed or worse with Derek Brunson dropping bombs, and the round ended.

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After the one-minute rest period, Shabazyan stood waiting to be called forward, but Dean stopped time to call in a cageside physician to make sure Shahbazyan was fit to continue. The MD asked the fighter if he wanted to continue and if he could continue. That’s a dumb question, as a fighter will only give one answer. And Shahbazyan was looking down as he mumbled replies. After an extended period of time, during which, presumably, Shahbazyan could have been recovering, the bout was allowed to continue.

Shahbazyan’s corner should be held to account as well, but at the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White was not impressed with the doctor.

Shahbazyan looked like he was out at the end of that round, said White. Think that the doctor could have stopped it.

First of all, the doctor’s obviously inexperienced; I don’t know anything about the doctor, but I haven’t seen him before. You’ve got Brunson, who ends that round strong, [many could argue that fight could have been stopped right there at the end of the round. I’m sure ref thought the guy would have time to go back [and recover].

What you don’t do is talk to the guy for f***ing 10 minutes while he’s hurt. Either stop the fight, or let him continue but go. You’re letting the kid recover while you’ve got Brunson, who just did that work, and he’s waiting for the bell to ring so that he can go in and finish the fight. Pull the trigger one way or the other. Stop the fight or don’t.

Brunson who, ended the fight at :26 of the third when Dean stopped it, defended Dean and the doctor allowing it to go on.

It’s funny, I’m hearing the media lately just saying, ‘Oh they should have stopped the fight,’ but there would be no such thing as a comeback if they would just stop every fight, said Brunson. He looked a little defeated in the corner, for sure. He hasn’t been pushed or tested, but take nothing away from the kid. He looked great in his other fights.

He just had a guy who had a lot of fights. I had enough of coming out, putting up bad fights and just stinkers. So I was really locked in for this fight and made sure I’m out there executing.