MMA and combat sports demand not only exceptional physical strength but also unparalleled mental toughness. While many athletes achieve glory and enduring success, the harsh reality is that many of them face devastating health repercussions. The rules of combat sports exist to protect fighters, and banned moves are enforced to prevent life-altering injuries. Unfortunately, violations of these rules can still lead to tragic outcomes, as seen in the case of former boxer Prichard Colon. Recently, the co-main event of UFC 309 between Micheal Chandler and Charles Oliveira reignited conversations about fighter safety and the consequences of illegal strikes, drawing parallels to Colon’s tragic case.

For the unversed, Colon’s promising boxing career came to a heartbreaking halt in 2015 when he suffered a traumatic brain injury during a fight against Terrel Williams. Repeated illegal punches to the back of his head in the seventh round led to severe injuries. After collapsing in the dressing room, Colon slipped into a coma for 221 days. Today, he remains in a persistent vegetative state, undergoing intensive physiotherapy.

In a similar display, Michael Chandler delivered several hammer fists to the back of Oliveira’s head—an illegal move in MMA—but the referee Keith Peterson failed to intervene or penalize him. While Oliveira emerged victorious, the incident highlighted lapses in officiating and underscored the potential dangers of such strikes.

The MMA world was reminded of this grim reality and expressed concern for the Brazilian’s health while also blasting the officiating process and the lack of action on Peterson’s end. Let’s dive into what the fans said.

Fans reprimand referee Keith Peterson for reckless officiating 

MMA official Keith Peterson has found himself at the center of controversy once again following his officiating in the co-main event of UFC 309 between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. This is not the first time Peterson has been accused of overlooking dangerous fouls, raising questions about his competency and whether further action should be taken against him.

During the latter half of the bout, Chandler delivered a series of hammer fists that landed on the back of Oliveira’s head and ear, which are illegal under MMA rules designed to prevent severe injuries, including brain trauma. Despite these violations, Peterson refrained from stopping the action or issuing a warning.

This sparked outrage among fans, who expressed their frustrations online. One fan commented, “The referee from the Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler fight needs to watch this video before he’s allowed to ref again.” Another added, “Ref was sleeping. He put Oliveira in danger by allowing so many back-of-the-head punches.”

Peterson’s record as a referee has been marred by past controversies. Notably, his oversight during the Dan Argueta vs. Ronnie Lawrence fight led to a no-contest, and bantamweight legend Dominick Cruz once accused him of officiating while intoxicated during UFC 249. Reflecting on these incidents, a fan remarked, “He has been reprimanded before with no permanent solutions. There has to be some kind of repercussions for that sh*t”. Another fan said, “The guy needs to be fired, pronto.”

Opinions about the strikes in the Oliveira-Chandler fight remain divided. While some fans defended Peterson by arguing that Chandler’s strikes legally grazed Oliveira’s ear, others were more concerned about the lack of decisive intervention. One supporter of Oliveira wrote, “I think Charles must get his MRI done. This was a very serious matter. Hope some action is taken against Keith Peterson.”

Even the former 155lbs king himself addressed the issue during the UFC 309 post-fight press conference. “I’m not here to criticize,” he said. “But I wanna tell you something: there were a lot of blows to the back of the head, a lot of fence grabbing. There were also some eye pokes. And I was telling the ref what was going on, I was calling for his attention and nothing would happen. I hoped that he would intervene, but nothing happened.”

Given the serious nature of these lapses, many fans and fighters believe that Peterson should face consequences for his repeated oversights. The integrity of the sport relies on fair officiating, and when referees fail to enforce the rules, fighters’ safety is put at risk. While the UFC has not issued a statement regarding this incident, there is a growing call for stricter accountability measures to prevent similar issues in the future.

Whether this will lead to a formal investigation or disciplinary action against Peterson remains to be seen, but it’s clear that many believe it is time for change. What are your opinions on this infamous incident from UFC 309’s co-main event? Tell us in the comment section below!