Jones loses controversial disqualification to Hamill

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Sat Dec 05 11:29pm EST

Jones loses controversial disqualification to Hamill

Utter confusion is the only way to describe it and of course it had to be referee Steve Mazzagatti at the center of it. Hotshot prospect Jon Jones looked to be on his way to a dominant win over Matt Hamill when the fight was stopped. It appeared Mazzagatti stopped the fight because Hamill had a nasty cut on the bridge of his nose and was unable to continue with a separated shoulder. When ring announcer Bruce Buffer announced Jones has been disqualified because of illegal elbows. The crowd, Hamill and Jones were all shocked.

Hamill appeared to have suffered a broken nose and couldn't continue. A point was taken away and then when Hamill was unable to continue, Jones was DQ'd.

Jones (9-1, 3-1 UFC) got things going with a hard trip takedown with 2:25 left in the round and easily moved to mount in seconds. Jones was crushing Hamill with punches and elbows. "Bones" got off 85 punches and elbows. On several occasions, Jones looked over to Mazzagatti to stop the fight. Jones (pictured with a shocked look), maybe a bit frustrated and looking for a way to put things to an end, made the mistake of dropping two illegal elbows. Mazzagatti stopped the fight at 4:14 and asked Hamill if he was done. Hamill (7-3, 6-3, UFC), with bloody pouring into both eyes from the laceration on his nose, didn't move.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission did employ replay for the first time.

Keith Kizer told MMAJunkie's John Morgan:

"After halting the bout, Mazzagatti asked for the replay to determine whether the illegal blows contributed to the ending of the fight. When replays showed that the elbows scored directly to the eye, the disqualification result was issued. Because the illegal blows landed as part of the sequence that ended the fight, the ruling was made."