Sterling, Dvalishvili blast ref in controversial MVP card finish

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and current titleholder Merab Dvalishvili tore into the officiating at MVP's recent card, where they say Phumi Nkuta was choked unconscious after the bell rang to end a round.

Sterling posted on social media that Nkuta was not out before the horn sounded, per Sherdog. He wrote that the opponent held the submission roughly two seconds past the bell and that the referee failed to break up the action, turning what should have been a decision into a stoppage loss. "Bad flashback of my fight with Ricky Simon," Sterling wrote, referencing his own controversial finish.

Dvalishvili accuses opponent of foul play

Dvalishvili went further, writing that anyone who understands chokes could see the hold continued well after the bell and that the opponent ignored the referee's instruction to release. "The ref fucked him," Dvalishvili said in his post. He pinned blame on the fighter applying the choke, the official, and everyone involved in failing to enforce the rules.

Sterling has been vocal about late stoppages after his own bout with Simon drew scrutiny. The latest incident puts renewed focus on cage awareness and referee positioning at fight's end. No word yet on whether MVP or the commission will review the finish.

Source: sherdog.com