Couture says stoppage was not late

Published on: 18th November, 2008

Couture says stoppage was not late  | read this item

Eric Jamison/AP

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture does not agree with UFC President Dana White that the stoppage by Mario Yamasaki was late, in his loss to the newly crowned UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar.

Couture spoke to LA Times and spoke about the blows that ended his fifth title run as a UFC Champion.

“The rules of engagement allow you to punch your opponent when you’re on the ground, and nothing Brock did on the ground was that dramatic. I don’t have a stitch on my face, all my bruises are gone, I wasn’t unconscious. I was doing my best to recover. . . . Mario did exactly what he should have,” Couture told the LA Times.

While I actually thought at first that the stoppage was early (With an admitted bias for a Couture comeback). After seeing Couture lay on the ground after Lesnar went to town on him with the finishing blows, I do not think that Yamasaki who is a veteran referee without a history of ending fights too soon or late judgement can be questioned. No one had a better look at the action from his angle and in all honesty it seemed as if he gave Couture the respect he has earned from 10 plus years of being one of the UFC’s greatest Champions. This seems more like a controversy that should be put to bed, Lesnar is the new UFC Heavyweight Champion and that should be the single focus now.

 Narcisist is the Co-owner of UR Dirt and is the designer, editor and author. URDirt.com is a MMA blog that covers the UFC, WEC, StrikeForce, DREAM and several other Mixed Martial Art promotions. Read more from this author

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