Vinicius Oliveira's UFC Vegas 119 TKO clouded by illegal elbows

Vinicius Oliveira stopped Andre Fili in the second round at UFC Vegas 119 on Saturday, but the featherweight debut win came with a question mark attached.

According to both MMA Fighting and MMA Mania, Oliveira landed what appeared to be multiple illegal elbows to the back of Fili's head in the final sequence before referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4:56 of round two. Fili was left with a cut on the back of his skull that ringside physicians treated after the bout was waved off. Dean, who drew criticism for a similar non-call in the Ciryl Gane-Alex Pereira fight at the UFC White House card, did not penalize Oliveira for the strikes.

Oliveira survives early trouble to finish Fili

The Brazilian had been in danger earlier. Per MMA Fighting, Fili checked a leg kick in the first round that appeared to hurt Oliveira's foot, then landed a pair of body kicks that had his opponent backing toward the cage. Oliveira made it out of the frame and came back strong in the second, clipping Fili with a punch that sent the Team Alpha Male veteran stumbling. Oliveira followed with punches and knees before the standing elbows dropped Fili and ended the fight.

"I'm feeling better," Oliveira said afterward, per MMA Fighting. "I never get to fight like that. All my fights in the UFC, I felt tired, and weak … now I can show the world how good I am."

The finish marked Oliveira's first stoppage in over two years and his first appearance at 145 pounds in the UFC. He had entered the weekend as a betting favorite over the hittable but experienced Fili. The win keeps Oliveira among the more entertaining fighters on the roster, even if the legality of the final strikes remains in dispute.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — UFC Vegas 119 video: Vinicius Oliveira delivers brutal elbows to finish Andre Fili in featherweight debut
• MMA Mania — Illegal elbows? Vinicius Oliveira’s comeback TKO marred by controversial strikes | UFC Vegas 119 video