Chiesa appeals Yamasaki stoppage vs. Lee
Michael Chiesa: “To be clear — I did not tap, I did not verbally submit, I was not knocked unconscious, and at no point did I go unconscious.”
Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting reports that lightweight Michael Chiesa has appealed his submission loss to Kevin Lee in at UFC Fight Night 112 with the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission. OSAC executive director Joe Miller confirmed that the commission was in receipt of the appeal letter.
Chiesa was in a rear naked choke and appeared on the verge of going out when referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight with 23 seconds to go, awarding the fight to Lee.
Was it a legit finish? Kevin Lee with a submission on Michael Chiesa that we'll be talking about for awhile! #UFCOKC https://t.co/mOFBUonnem
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) June 26, 2017
Chiesa immediately protested.
To be clear — I did not tap, I did not verbally submit, I was not knocked unconscious, and at no point did I go unconscious, wrote Chiesa in the appeal. At all times, I used my years of experience and training to intelligently defend myself.
Chiesa’s arms appeared to go limp to a significant degree immediately before the stoppage, but he attributed the “relaxing” to engaging his core and shoulders to shrug in order to reduce pressure.
I was in this specific position for less than two seconds before Mr. Yamasaki wrongfully ended the contest, wrote Chiesa. Mr. Yamasaki offered no warnings that he may stop the bout and he did not make any effort to check my condition or offer any verbal commands of any kind.
Chiesa cited a tweet by the dean of MMA referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy.
In pro fights we don't stop a submission unless we have a tapout, the fighter goes unconscious or we see damage like a dislocation #AskBJM https://t.co/DszDIGVlcW
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) June 26, 2017
Chiesa also referenced controversies involving Yamasaki, and noted that Lee him with illegal 12-6 elbows, opening a cut that later required stitches. Yamasaki has yet to comment on the incident, but Chiesa’s appeal has no significant chance of success.
In most jurisdictions, the regulating commission will only overturn in three distinct cases. One is a math error, where for example the scores were totaled incorrectly. Another is an official being bribed, or otherwise influenced illegally to render the incorrect decision. And a third is an official not knowing the rules, for example giving an MMA fighter a 10-count and letting the fight continue.
Simply making a mistake does not meet the standard. If a ref stop a fight and later reconsiders, and says publicly that he or she should have let the fight continue, the initial decision stands.
If Mario Yamasaki didn’t know that you stop a fight when a fighter in a choke goes out, and you don’t when he or she doesn’t go out (barring a tap) then there would be grounds for an appeal. If Mario Yamasaki didn’t know that a tap ends a fight, there would be grounds for appeal. But Mario Yamasaki is one of the top referees in the sport, and he knows the rules. If he knew the rules but made a mistake, the decision stands. If he knew the rules, thought Chiesa was completely out, but Chiesa was only a little out, the decision stands. If he knew the rules, thought Chiesa was tapping as he went out, but Chiesa was only waving his arms, the decision stands.
So the decision will stand. Given this simple fact, it difficult to understand the motivation behind this appeal. Because barring Yamasaki being bribed or not knowing what a tap is, the decision stands.
