Referee gets into it with cornerman – results in KO!
The losing fighter’s cornerman was clearly unhappy as he immediately gets in the ref’s face. That’s when things started to escalate.
After a brief argument, the cornerman shoves the referee, and he in turn retaliates with a quick left hook that KOes the cornerman stiff, almost starting an all-out brawl.
Referee Casey Oxendine KO’s cornerman Korey Hayes.
Though neither man has ever truly come forward with what exactly caused the confrontation in the first place, here’s a snippet of what Oxendine posted on The UnderGround Forum back when the incident occurred, detailing the consequences of his actions:
As the referee in this bout, there was a lot of controversy as to whether I was justified in striking Mr Hayes during this incident. I wrote an extensive paragraph, stating that it was unlike me to strike another person outside of a combat sports setting. However, I felt as though I was in a dangerous situation and that he would have struck me if I hadn’t acted.
The event would evolve into the centerpiece of the issues concerning the legalization of the sport in Tennessee. When I attended the meeting that saw the state athletic commission finally pass sanctioning of amateur MMA, the incident was brought up. They wanted to make sure that if sanctioning were put in place, this sort of thing would not happen again. Everyone involved expressed openly that the incident cast a dark shadow on the sport, and felt we should move forward for the benefit of the sport.
“Last night I attended an event at the National Guard Armory of New Tazewell, promoted Warrior Fighting Challenge. Only moments before my arrival, I was informed that ISKA had pulled their sanctioning, due to lack of insurance and security. The promoter insured me that the event would be run by Sport Jiu-Jitsu rules. Having attended the meetings of the State Athletic Commission, I was fully aware that all MMA event HAD TO BE SANCTIONED by one of three sanctioning bodies (ISKA, ISCF, and WKA).
Realizing my fighters and cornermen could face later repercussions, I pulled them from the event. I arrived at the venue a few minutes later to collect my fighters. I passed the ticket counter and turned to walk down the hallway with Teammate Erick Jordan and my girlfriend. At this point, I noticed Korey Hayes out of the corner of my eye.
Considering the nature of our last meeting and in the best interest of the event, I made it a point to avoid all contact. I did not make eye contact and I did not make any move toward Mr. Hayes whatsoever. However, as I turned my back and made my way toward the locker rooms, Mr Hayes struck me with a looping right punch from behind that shoved me into my girlfriend.
He continued forward in an attempt to tackle me to the ground screaming something in the nature of, you will never hit me again. I grabbed a single leg and drove myself forward until the onlookers separated us. Mr Hayes then exited the building in haste.
When the police arrived a few minutes later, I filed a report. While his best haymaker punch from behind was unable to knock me unconscious, I was left with severe lacerations to my lips that required stitches to close up.
While I am irate at the situation, it is primarily due to the involvement of my girlfriend. I have trained with some of hardest hitters in the sport and getting punched is something I can readily deal with. And although I don’t relish having my mouth split open, I will heal as I always have.
When our altercation unfolded in Knoxville 2 months ago, it was handled face to face and without the involvement of any innocent persons. My girlfriend is not a fighter and had no place in that disagreement.
I would have never placed his wife, girlfriend, or children in harm’s way over a personal issue between us. This is truly disgraceful behavior, and was intended to gain revenge for the initial event that was unfortunate and I feel that I had little control over to begin with.
While I realize that I made a mistake in turning my back to someone that may have harbored resentment toward me, I truthfully felt that his words as a professional superceded his own egotistical agendas.
Korey Hayes demonstrated a vengeful nature that showed in both the meltdowns that followed his fighter’s loss in Knoxville and his unprovoked attack last night. After he had left, I was told by one of his loyal students, that it was even now, because you hit korey and now he hit you back.
It is disappointing to hear that this instructor’s teachings of ethics consist of, an eye for an eye, set him up to take your best shot when he turns his back, and do whatever it takes to get revenge no matter how many innocent people it involves and even if it defaces the integrity of the sport, display his respect for MMA.
I assume he was humiliated by the Youtube fiasco and felt he could even the score by attempting to knock me out and embarrass me in return. He was unable to do either. I stand rock steady and continue to move myself, my team, and Tennessee MMA forward.”
