Cagewriter - UFC

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Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:10 pm EDT

Kizer says it's time for instant replay

By Steve Cofield

Mixed martial arts is no different than any other sport. The action is simply too fast to officiate without some help from modern technology. Major League Baseball, the NBA and NFL all use replay and now Keith Kizer, the director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission says it may be time to use replay cageside for MMA fights. His comments were prompted because of yet another eyepoke that was missed by an MMA referee. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic got a win over Mostapha Al-Turk at UFC 99, but the beginning of the end for the big Brit came when the Croatian jabbed him in the right eye. Al-Turk got pounded out the same way Anthony Johnson (pictured on the right) did back at Ultimate Fight Night 14 against Kevin Burns. Both were officially handed losses. The fights should've been stopped with an opportunity to restart, ruled a no-contest or decide the result by going to the scorecards.

Kizer told MMAJunkie Radio there's a growing need to give some help to the officials and fighters:

"We're trying to find out if there's a way to do limited instant replay. We're hoping to find a way to do that."

Kizer said the problems in both of those controversial fights could've been avoided:

"Let's say the doctor looked at Mr. Al Turk, or the situation we had with Anthony Johnson, and says, 'He can not continue.' So the fight's over, so it's not going to change the strategy whether the referee changes his mind on the call. In those situations, then the ref can look at it and say, 'You know what, it was an accidental foul. Let's go to the scorecards.' Or in the other situation, 'I thought it was an accidental foul to go to the scorecards, but on instant replay it was actually a legal punch.' Either way, the fighter could not continue, so it wouldn't have mattered, and we can take our time and look at it."

Kizer gave credit to former NSAC director Marc Ratner, now a VP with the UFC, for originally floating the replay idea. Cagewriter spoke with Ratner on fight night immediately after the Burns-Johnson debacle back in July of 2008 and he mentioned it then.

Kizer said it's possible the NSAC could institute replay by the end of 2009.

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49 Comments

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  1. The One and Only Aaron
    1. Posted by The One and Only Aaron Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:40 pm EDT

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    I agree with Mr. Kizer. Replay will only make MMA more accepted
  2. MMAniac
    2. Posted by MMAniac Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:41 pm EDT

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    instant replay in fighting? that is stupid.
  3. Robert C
    3. Posted by Robert C Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    Thought it was supposed to be Tapout...not Timeout.
  4. Shaun T
    4. Posted by Shaun T Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:54 pm EDT

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    Better refs, not novelties
  5. glok
    5. Posted by glok Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    awesome. finally, mma will be as boring and slow as boxing. sweet!
  6. Oh Obviously!
    6. Posted by Oh Obviously! Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    You guys like the way those fights ended? Quit smokin' pot. They ended wrong. Why not try to remedy the situation?
  7. AdamG
    7. Posted by AdamG Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    Eye pokes should be ruled no contests and refs need to do a better job of recognizing them...
  8. thaifighter6
    8. Posted by thaifighter6 Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:12 pm EDT

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    I agree with the eye pokes, but where do you draw the line? I can guarantee Michael "I complain about ref's calls all the time Bisping" will use the instant replay for punches to the back of the head. Will the fighters' mouthpieces (or gumshields to all you redcoats) be used as the "challenge flag?"
  9. KJ-MMA Armchair
    9. Posted by KJ-MMA Armchair Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    Finally, instant replays are a must since the SACs are adamant in using underqualified referees. Big Dan is the sort of ref who's actually going to get someone killed in MMA.
    If it's in the first round, it should be a No Contest no question. If it's past the half way mark of the fight, it should go to the scorecards. Anything in between should be the discretion of the judges, the referee and the comissioners.
    And I think a fighters match history should be taken into account also (have they done it in the past and if so how many times?).
  10. KJ-MMA Armchair
    10. Posted by KJ-MMA Armchair Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    #8, it's not going to be used for minor things. It's going to be used for actual fight changing things. Bisping would have a right to complain about back of the head shots if the fighter was knocked loopy by one and finished off because the ref missed it.
  11. sirhofh
    11. Posted by sirhofh Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    I don't remember whether this was the case in the Johnson loss, but in my opinion the ref shoulda known something was up with Al-Turk when he turned his back and put both hands on his face. It was obvious that there was a poke from his reaction. Step in at that point - don't let him get blasted with shots from behind.
  12. Big Papa
    12. Posted by Big Papa Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:20 pm EDT

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    what about k0's to back of head are those gonna get done too how lame i love mma but let the fighters fight or does Randy get his belt back from brock cuz he hit him behind the ear accidentally-- great 3 hour long fights because they have tostopto look at every punch the fighter wines about--LET EM FIGHT
  13. jp
    13. Posted by jp Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:22 pm EDT

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    But seriously, this really wasnt a big deal until CroCop and it's only because he is on his way out of the door. Nobody protested the Anthony Johnson decision... hmmm, I wonder why? The honorable thing to do when you stick you finger in somebody's eyeball is to let them recover. There's no way CroFlop didnt know he did it, but instead he took advantage of the situation. Who needs an instant replay to see an eye gouge? what if it wasnt an eye gouge? you've just wasted all that time to review something that didnt happen. The fighters can tell the ref when they've been kicked in the balls and get a timeout, why cant they tell the ref they got poked in the eye?
  14. The Barbarian Brother
    14. Posted by The Barbarian Brother Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

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    More acceptable by whom?? Who cares? If the get an instant replay, here comes the NO-Contests and useless rematches. NO TO REPLAY!!!!! more rules they add more MMA will turn into a wrestling match.
    P.S. greco-wrestling not that WWE bull crap
  15. T Stizzz
    15. Posted by T Stizzz Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

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    Yea in the johnson fight it was clear he got poked in the eye. U dont go down like dat from a punch. I think it could be good for the sport.
  16. yep thats me
    16. Posted by yep thats me Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:26 pm EDT

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    asdfjlaja
  17. yep thats me
    17. Posted by yep thats me Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    sorry about that, my computer froze up lol..... i say keep the replay out of MMA, who's to say that people aren't going to use it as an excuse to rest when they are gassed and this could possibly alter the outcome of the fight. let them fight, if they get poked in the eye, then let them complain about it when it happens, you should be able to tell if someone is poked, their eye will be red and watery, its not rocket science, also let it be a lesson to them that they should have protected their face a little better :)
  18. altnation
    18. Posted by altnation Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

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    Why not have instant replay. In cases like the Cro-cop fight it was obvious he got poked and the ref. totally missed it. There arent too many other violations besides- elbows to face while down, eye gouges, anything to the groin, elbows to back of head. Most of those are easily caught, but if not and the victim's team feels it necessary to call for replay..then why not have a clean even fight.
  19. Rob R
    19. Posted by Rob R Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:58 pm EDT

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    I don't like going to the scorecards in a three-round fight because MMA fights can turn so dramatically and end so quickly.
    For instance:
    Fighter A squeaks out rounds 1 and 2.
    Fighter B is smashing Fighter A in the 3rd, and has him against the cage or in mount, but accidentally eye pokes and causes Fighter A to stop defending himself.
    If it's ruled an accidental foul, then you go to the scorecards and Fighter A wins, even though B might have taken a 10-8 round in the third and even more likely would have finished the fight.
    I'd only go to the scorecards in a 5 round fight if three are in the books. I would call any accidental foul stoppage in a three-rounder a NC.
    Like Kizer says, I'd only use instant replay if the questionable strike effectively ended the fight.
  20. kodiak_the_bear_dog
    20. Posted by kodiak_the_bear_dog Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:30 pm EDT

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    You could also review if a fighter tapped. You don't have to actually stop the fight - the commission could appoint a replay judge who reviews the tape. If he determines there was a tap, he notifies the referee and the fight is stopped.
  21. rwallace2car
    21. Posted by rwallace2car Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:40 pm EDT

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    NO REPLAY!!!!!!!! Just because other sports use it (poorly) doesn't mean mma should, I would rather see fighters don googles than stop the action with every little mishap.
  22. Steve S
    22. Posted by Steve S Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:02 pm EDT

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    Maybe Rashad Evans should get his belt back than beings he was fishhooked which led to his mouth being open and got him knocked out. There will always be these freak accidents in all combat sports. Instant replay would destroy this sport. Iwould dare to say in every fight there is something that could be reviewed, a low kick, head butt, fishhook, eye gouge, the list goes on and on. Live with it and chalk it up as part of the sport.
  23. xmptd
    23. Posted by xmptd Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:58 pm EDT

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    No.... its not necessary. we have had Cro cop and burns in what? about 10 months? how is that enough to warrant an instant replay.
    they need to get rid of 10 point must scoring. a fighter shouldn't get rewarded if he gets his face smashed in for 3 minutes, but some how manages a take down and lays on his opponent for the remainder of the round. they need to change to Japanese MMA scoring.
  24. Peckerwood
    24. Posted by Peckerwood Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:59 pm EDT

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    I don't think they're saying that fighters can call "time-out" but instead of simply awarding the fighter that can't continue with a big fat L for his trouble of getting eye poked, they will go to the score card...not sure why the Johnson poke was brought up, that was obvious and the ref saw if I remember right.

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