Chris Weidman's UFC 210 Appeal Dealt a Heavy Blow
Following a controversial TKO loss to Gegard Mousasi at UFC 210, Chris Weidman said that he wanted an immediate rematch and that he planned to appeal the decision. It appears that he's got an uphill climb on both fronts.
Though the fight was initially halted due to Mousasi landing illegal knees, while Weidman was recovering, the referee changed his determination, calling the knees legal. While all of that was unfolding, the ringside physicians entered the Octagon and determined the fight should be stopped, which it was, with the victory awarded to Mousasi.
Weidman called for an immediate rematch in the post-fight aftermath. Mousasi sounded somewhat amenable to it, but quickly cast it aside, as he was more focused on moving closer to a title shot than a rematch. UFC president Dana White didn't sound as if he was all that warm to a rematch either.
With his hope of a rematch dying on the vine, Weidman's plan to appeal doesn't appear to have much life either. His appeal likely would have hinged primarily on referee Dan Miragliotta's decision to initially halt the fight due to illegal knees, but then change his opinion to the knees being legal after consulting with ringside official John McCarthy, who had reviewed instant replay of the knees.
Weidman was under the impression that using instant replay was not allowed in New York, but the commission on Tuesday issued a statement to MMA Fighting, declaring that use of instant replay was, in fact, allowed.
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“Mr. Weidman was determined to be unable to continue the match due to legal blows received, resulting in a TKO. In New York State, it has been held that the Commission may review video evidence in order to meet its obligation to render correct determinations and act in the best interest of the sport,” read the New York State Athletic Commission's statement on the matter.
“After the referee initially ruled the strikes from Mr. Mousasi illegal, he consulted with the alternate referee during the physician assessment of Mr. Weidman and determined that the knee strikes by Mousasi were not illegal. During the examination of Mr. Weidman by Commission medical staff, it was determined he was medically unfit to continue and the referee ruled a TKO victory in favor of Mr. Mousasi.”
