Media Shockingly Bad Refereeing Diary Entry #12836 - Assassination Attempt With a Ninja Choke

[Deleted member 585708]

Referee tries to assassinate a fighter via another fighter's ninja choke.

It's like a homicidal version of 'death by cop'.

WTF.

 

[jeff7b9]

That's fucked up.

Man what a chain reaction of devastation that would set off if a guy died like that.

- "black eye on the sport"

- dead guy's team, corner, coach, family

- winning fighter now "killed" a guy

- ref presumably faces no consequences, maybe starts getting judging gigs



It's hard to tell whether the motions where the guy consciously trying to maneuver or "death rattle" type of reflexes, or even regular breathing motions while the brain is turned off via blood choke.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Take a bow Travis Metteer (according to Tapology).

You are an early contender for the worst referee of 2023.

Consider your options.

 

[Exarch01]

Damn that's in permanent brain damage territory. Hope he's ok.

 

[Egészségére!]

He showed no sign of consciousness for almost 45 sec

wtf

 

[Chubi]

Wow, did not even touch the fighter's arm once to see if he's conscious.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I think he was communicating with him, he didn't look like he was actually out long to me, I watched the fight and I wasn't shouting at the TV to stop it or anything.

 

[World eater]

His body position before the one minute mark should be a warning signal even to someone who knows very little about the sport. This looks very, very bad.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Well, he definitely wasn't unconscious at the 4:30 mark. His shoulders lifted several times, too, and the ref is closer than the camera permits us to "be."

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

I think he was communicating with him, he didn't look like he was actually out long to me, I watched the fight and I wasn't shouting at the TV to stop it or anything.

Since when do you defend a choke/communicate you are ok by leaving both your arms limp and in front of you?

 

[CerebralKnievel]

His body position before the one minute mark should be a warning signal even to someone who knows very little about the sport. This looks very, very bad.

Right, it requires close monitor by the ref because his limbs are already grounded.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Whether he's out or not, the referee should be checking, physically if necessary.

I can't understand what communication they could possibly be having.

The international standard is a thumbs up, no?

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Since when do you defend a choke/communicate you are ok by leaving both your arms limp and in front of you?

I'll have to watch it again but putting your arms high and trying to limp arm out would be a valid defence.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Since when do you defend a choke/communicate you are ok by leaving both your arms limp and in front of you?

Nonetheless, it's happened, plenty of times. Fighters feel comfortable where they are and attempt to slowly work their way out.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Watched it again and he goes out at 3:50 on the clock when his body slumps back. You can see him grimacing and fighting it till then.

Maybe it was clearer watching it on a big screen than on twitter.

 

[BangBang]

I'm flabbergasted. Shocking.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

I'll have to watch it again but putting your arms high and trying to limp arm out would be a valid defence.

I’m a BJJ black belt - you defend a front headlock choke by fighting the grips and/or rolling and giving position, not by going limp.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

Nonetheless, it's happened, plenty of times. Fighters feel comfortable where they are and attempt to slowly work their way out.

Except he wasn’t comfortable/working his way out - he was unconscious.

Ref should ask for a thumbs up, check the arm to make sure it isn’t limp, and look for intelligent defense (trying to get out).

At bare minimum he should be hand fighting, he didn’t know what was happening or what to do about it.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I’m a BJJ black belt - you defend a front headlock choke by fighting the grips, not by going limp.

He's not limp though, he's trying to keep posture. He goes limp when Fuller adjusts the choke. He's carrying his weight on his hands and has facial expressions.

If you're a black belt I'm sure you'd have a better defence than me as I'm just a purple but Wirtz probably isn't a black belt either so might well do the wrong defence.

 

[Qays Stetkevich]

Damn that's in permanent brain damage territory. Hope he's ok.

Even a cursory glance online says that braincells begin to die at around the 5 minute mark....so no worries whatsoever in this instance.