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VIDEO: Magomed Ankalaev vs Ion Cuțelaba Fight Ends in Controversial Stoppage at UFC Norfolk

By Alexander Wildes

Ion Cuțelaba was visibly upset with the decision to stop the UFC fight as early as it was.
Ion Cuțelaba was visibly upset with the decision to stop the UFC fight as early as it was. /

As an MMA referee, the task of figuring out when to stop a fight can be a very difficult one. A wrong choice can result in someone ending up with serious life-changing injuries, or fans on social media asking for your resignation. There's rarely a flawless TKO. However, in the UFC fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba on Saturday night, the referee clearly stopped this fight extremely early, as the latter was still fully engaged.

This is an obvious early stoppage. While Cutelaba did take three kicks to the head in a short span of time, he was still out in the octagon swinging at Ankalev, and the referee should have let them continue to duke it out.

We understand the referee wanting to air on the side of caution, but this is just way too soon.