Veteran UFC referee, Jason Herzog, has come out to address the recent controversy over his stoppage in the UFC Louisville main event. In the middleweight clash between Nassourdine Imavov and Jared Cannonier, the fight ending sequence drew scrutiny from the MMA world over what was perceived as an ‘early’ stop to the fight.

In the 4th round, Imavov landed a big punch that appeared to rock Cannonier badly. ‘Tha Killa Gorilla’ tried to retreat to the fence and recover, with Imavov trying to employ more pressure to end the fight. However, just as it appeared that Cannonier was getting ready to rally back, Herzog stepped in and halted the fight, handing Imavov the win. This led to widespread calls from the MMA sphere that the fight was stopped unnecessarily and as such, Herzog took to social media to share his response to the outcry.

Jason Herzog addresses the controversy over UFC Louisville main event stoppage

Nassourdine Imavov secured a massive victory over the #4 ranked Jared Cannonier at UFC Louisville but the win has been overshadowed by the controversy involving referee Jason Herzog’s stoppage. After the fight, Imavov defended the referee’s decision he stated, “The referee, that’s his job, that’s what he does on a daily basis. So I think he did the right decision but I was ready to keep going if that was the decision.”

However, the same sentiment wasn’t shared by the crowd at the arena which filled the venue with boos when the stoppage occurred and many prominent voices in the MMA world shared the same outlook. In a post on X, journalist Ariel Helwani stated, “I mean, this is really awful. Watching live, I thought Cannonier lost a mouthpiece or something. He was robbed here. I’d love to understand why Herzog, who is typically solid, made this call. One of the worst in recent memory.”

As such, Herzog addressed the statements in a post made on X where he responded by stating, “I get it. I know what I was seeing in the moment, but I’ve gotten enough feedback telling me I need to reevaluate, so I will.”

Cannonier had been on a 2-fight win streak going into this fight and with the questionable stoppage, it seems his aspirations for another shot at the middleweight title may not materialize soon. This controversy highlights the challenging nature of officiating in MMA, where referees must balance fighter safety with the integrity of the competition.

Nevertheless, Herzog’s candor in reassessment demonstrates his commitment to the sport and its athletes. As for Imavov, with a ticket punched to the middleweight division’s top 5 with this win, he has set his sights on settling his score with ‘Tarzan’!

Imavov wants revenge against Sean Strickland in Paris

Despite the controversy surrounding the finish, Nassourdine Imavov’s performance has demonstrated his ability to contend with the top of the middleweight division and showcased his potential as a future contender for the title.

In his post-fight interview, he made a call-out of Sean Strickland, the former UFC middleweight champion who had beaten him in 2023 when they faced off against each other. Imavov stated, “My goal is to get the belt, “I’d like to fight Sean Strickland in Paris. So Sean Strickland, if you want to do it, come to Paris and we’re going to fight together.”

It remains to be seen if Strickland will be interested in running the fight back as he’s been busy campaigning for his own rematch against the champion, Dricus Du Plessis. But the MMA fandom will be watching closely to see how the UFC’s middleweight landscape pans out in the near future.

 Do you think Jason Herzog was right to stop the fight? And what do you think about Imavov’s chances in a rematch with Sean Strickland? Share your thoughts in the comments below!