Year in and year out, Kevin MacDonald is one of the best referees in mixed martial arts.
But he didn’t have his best moment during the UFC on ESPN+ 27 main card bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba.
MacDonald made the wrong read and ruled the bout a TKO in favor of Ankalaev (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) just 38 seconds into the fight. Ankalaev landed a couple head kicks in the fight’s opening seconds. One of them wobbled Cutelaba (15-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC), but he stayed on his feet.
Ankalaev threw a third head kick, which the backpedaling Cutelaba blocked with his hands. Cutelaba was starting to return fire when MacDonald waved the fight off, to the perplexity of both fighters and vocal jeering from the crowd in Norfolk, Va.
After the fight, Ankalaev pointed out that he’s only doing his job and it’s not on him to call the fight. He also welcomed a rematch.
“It’s not my job – I know I hurt him,” Ankalaev said through an interpreter, later adding, “I’m ready any time.”
The bout’s weirdness started even before the fight. In a stunning breach of protocol, Cutelaba stormed across the cage during introductions and chest-bumped his opponent before officials who had been caught napping separated the two.
Ankalaev has now won three in a row, two of them via stoppage. Cutelaba has dropped two of his past three.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN+ 27 results include:
- Magomed Ankalaev def. Ion Cutelaba via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:38
- Megan Anderson def. Norma Dumont via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:31
- Grant Dawson def. Darrick Minner via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:38
- Kyler Phillips def. Gabriel Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Brendan Allen def. Tom Breese via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:47
- Marcin Tybura def. Serghei Spivac via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Luis Pena def. Steve Garcia via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Jordan Griffin def. TJ Brown via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 3:38
- Spike Carlyle def. Aalon Cruz via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:25
- Sean Brady def. Ismail Naurdiev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
