Sherdog’s Top 10Sherdog’s Top 10: Officiating Blunders
Number 4
Steve Mazzagatti is no stranger to controversy. | Photo: Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
4. Steve Mazzagatti Misses Kevin Burns’ Eye Poke of Anthony Johnson
The oft-criticized Steve Mazzagatti was in top form in this UFC Fight Night 14 tussle where Anthony Johnson was repeatedly poked in the eye by Kevin Burns. Mazzagatti didn’t take control of the action, but when Johnson was gouged for the last time, Mazzagatti ended the fight. Did Mazzagatti disqualify Burns for what seemed like his 87th eye poke? Nope. He ruled Burns the winner by technical knockout.
To his credit, Mazzagatti was on Burns’ right side when he landed a right uppercut clean on Johnson’s face, just before Johnson spun around and flopped onto his stomach, writhing in pain. What Mazzagatti didn’t see was that, on the other side, Burns used an open hand to dig his pointer finger into Johnson’s eye. Luckily, Johnson suffered no major retinal or corneal damage, but Burns should have been disqualified earlier in the fight. Had he been, this “TKO” never would have occurred.
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