Twitter reacts to Liz Carmouche’s controversial title win over Juliana Velasquez at Bellator 278
Liz Carmouche finally got her hands on a major MMA title on Friday at Bellator 278, but it didn’t come without controversy.
Carmouche (17-7 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) claimed the women’s flyweight title from Juliana Velasquez (12-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) with a fourth-round TKO in the headlining bout in Honolulu, but the finish came on the heels of what was widely believed to be an early stoppage by referee Mike Beltran.
There was an outpour of outrage from the MMA community after the finish, and for more, check below for the top Twitter reactions to Carmouche’s Bellator 278 title iwn.
Bellator
#AndNew | The Challenger has dethroned The Champ!@IAmGirlRilla is your new flyweight world champion! #Bellator278 pic.twitter.com/4HbpbAlAsK
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) April 23, 2022
Your new flyweight champ is @IAmGirlRilla!
Liz gets it done tonight with a hard-fought win at #Bellator278. pic.twitter.com/u7c4p4NK5V
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) April 23, 2022
MMA Junkie
Fair or foul? Was Liz Carmouche's TKO over Juliana Velasquez to claim Bellator gold stopped too early by referee Mike Beltran? 🤔#Bellator278 | More: https://t.co/kzE1mG6Rxc pic.twitter.com/76Pkza5nND
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 23, 2022
Liz Carmouche (@iamgirlrilla) is the new Bellator women's flyweight champion! The crowd loved it, but former champion Juliana Velasquez took issue.#Bellator278 | More: https://t.co/kzE1mFPg8C pic.twitter.com/za64dnjXtM
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 23, 2022
Caposa
Did Beltran seriously stop that hahaha
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 23, 2022
What a joke
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 23, 2022
Patricio Freire
Mike Beltran should never be allowed to referee a fight again! First he took away my title and now he takes away Juliana's title. He should be held accountable! @BellatorMMA #Bellator278
— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) April 23, 2022
Brian Campbell
Not a good stoppage. #Bellator278
— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) April 23, 2022
Jose Youngs
Not a good stoppage. #Bellator278
— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) April 23, 2022
Matheus Aquino
Mike Beltran ruins another championship fight!!!!! He should never referee a fight again!!!! That's such bullshit! #Bellator278
— Matheus Aquino (@MatheusDCAquino) April 23, 2022
Mookie Alexander
That's a god awful stoppage. Velasquez was fine. #Bellator278
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) April 23, 2022
Sean Sheehan
Do not like that stoppage at all.
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) April 23, 2022
Fight Ghost
What the fuck was that???? Why the hell…. why the hell did Beltran just stop that fight? #Bellator278
— Fight Ghost (@Fight_Ghost) April 23, 2022
MMA Roasted
That stoppage was like the first time I had sex…came way too early. #Bellator
— MMA Roasted (@MMARoasted) April 23, 2022
Scott Coker
Happy for @iamgirlrilla on becoming the new @BellatorMMA Flyweight World Champion.
Even sweeter she won the title during our Fight for the Troops event! #Bellator278 pic.twitter.com/TQLgr9rUT3
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) April 23, 2022
Jed Meshew II
WOW. At first glance, that is the worst stoppage in recent memory, given the stakes and the tenor of the fight. #Bellator278
— Jed Meshew II (@JedKMeshew) April 23, 2022
MMA Junkie
#Bellator278 results: Liz Carmouche (@iamgirlrilla) def. Juliana Velasquez via TKO (elbows) – Round 4, 4:47
Full results: https://t.co/7NyFXPcW5y pic.twitter.com/yEm7pVyyEW
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 23, 2022
Josh Gross
Whoa Liz Carmouche by ref stoppage in R4. Carmouche wins the Bellator flyweight title. Was not a good call to end it then by Mike Beltran. Velasquez wasn't given a chance to work her way out of a tough spot late in the round.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) April 23, 2022
Bellator PR
#Bellator278 Official Result: Liz @iamgirlrilla Carmouche (17-7) defeated Juliana Velasquez (12-1) via KO (elbows) at 4:47 of round four to become the new @BellatorMMA Flyweight World Champion pic.twitter.com/7detK3n7b1
— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) April 23, 2022
Dan Tom
I bet Carmouche and I’m not even sold on that stoppage…
That said, I also sprinkled on Carmouche by dec at one house, so you can still accuse me of being biased
Either way, happy for Liz to get her moment and happy to cash my Carmouche bet. Hope they rematch. #Bellator278 pic.twitter.com/tCPpvM8XAZ
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) April 23, 2022
Shaheen Al-Shatti
I bet Carmouche and I’m not even sold on that stoppage…
That said, I also sprinkled on Carmouche by dec at one house, so you can still accuse me of being biased
Either way, happy for Liz to get her moment and happy to cash my Carmouche bet. Hope they rematch. #Bellator278 pic.twitter.com/tCPpvM8XAZ
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) April 23, 2022
Robert Sargent
Also, the classification of that stoppage as a "KO" rather than the weak TKO that it was is just sad. #Bellator278
— Robert Sargent (@MMARising) April 23, 2022
Georgi Karakhanyan
HORRIBLE STOPPAGE https://t.co/prb1yXQlwM
— Georgi Karakhanyan 🥩 (@georgimma) April 23, 2022
Pam Sorenson
Hmmm… I wanted Liz to win, but think they’re gonna need to run that one back. Odd stoppage
Nevertheless, huge congrats to @iamgirlrilla 🎉🎉🎉#BellatorHawaii
— Pamela Sorenson (@PamBam_Sorenson) April 23, 2022
Thiago Moises
Crazy stoppage omg #Bellator278
— Thiago Moisés (@ThiagoMoisesMMA) April 23, 2022
Mike Bohn
This is shitty all around. Some thoughts…
– I've seen people take shots from this same position for minutes without a stoppage
– Liz Carmouche had what should've been a glorious moment marred by controversy.
– Juliana Velasquez's perfect record is gone, as is her title. https://t.co/BjFL7qVo3e— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) April 23, 2022
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