Ever watched an MMA fight and cringed at the screen, wondering why the referee hadn’t stepped in yet? In a sport where every second counts, poor stoppages can have serious consequences. MMA fans are always divided—some say stoppages are too early, others argue they’re dangerously late.
But when a fighter is clearly outclassed, stunned, or visibly hurt and the action continues, it becomes hard to justify. Whether it’s a corner refusing to throw in the towel or a referee hesitating at the wrong time, these moments leave a lasting impression—for all the wrong reasons.
Here are 10 brutal MMA fights that should have been stopped earlier.
10. Glover Teixeira vs. Anthony Smith – UFC Fight Night 171
In this one-sided beating, Glover Teixeira dismantled Anthony Smith over five agonizing rounds. By Round 3, Smith’s face was busted up, and he famously told his corner that his teeth were falling out.
Despite the punishment, the referee and his corner let the fight continue until the fifth round, where Smith was barely able to defend himself. Fans, pundits, and even UFC President Dana White criticized the lack of intervention. Smith, however, stood by his team—saying he’d have fired anyone who threw in the towel.
9. Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman – UFC 194
Weidman’s title reign came to a painful end against Rockhold, who mounted him late in Round 3 and landed a devastating sequence of 75 unanswered elbows and punches.
Weidman’s corner gave him false confidence between rounds, claiming he “just lost that round.” When Round 4 resumed, Rockhold picked up right where he left off before Herb Dean finally called it. A stoppage earlier would’ve saved Weidman from unnecessary trauma.
8. Amanda Nunes vs. Raquel Pennington – UFC 224
When your fighter says, “I’m done,” it’s time to stop the fight. But Pennington’s coaches urged her to continue against one of the most dangerous women in MMA history.
Nunes wasted no time finishing the job in Round 5 with a relentless ground assault. The decision to send Pennington back in for more punishment drew heavy backlash.
7. Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar – UFC Fight Island 7
This fight became infamous for its sheer volume of violence. Max Holloway landed 445 significant strikes on Kattar—breaking UFC records in the process.
Holloway was so dominant he shouted to the commentary team mid-fight, “I’m the best boxer in the UFC!” The scores were absurdly lopsided (50–43 and even 50–42), but the bigger controversy was why the fight wasn’t stopped earlier. Kattar’s heart was undeniable, but so was the damage.
6. Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega – UFC 266
Volkanovski showed why he’s a champion, surviving tight submissions and punishing Ortega with strikes. In Round 3 alone, he landed 61 significant shots.
Despite Ortega struggling to get off the stool, the fight continued—largely because he passed the doctor’s questions. His battered face and swollen eyes said otherwise. The decision to allow him to continue was heavily debated post-fight.
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Thiago Tavares – UFC on FX 7
Before he became lightweight champion, Khabib displayed his brutal ground-and-pound early in his UFC career. Against Tavares, he dropped him with a thunderous uppercut and landed several unnecessary shots while Tavares lay defenseless.
Referee Dan Miragliotta caught major heat for the late stoppage—even Dana White publicly criticized it.
4. Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell – UFC 96
Sometimes, the fighter has to be the referee too.
Matt Brown landed a series of punishing strikes that left Pete Sell defenseless. Referee Yves Lavigne ran in to stop the action… and then told them to keep fighting.
Brown protested mid-fight, asking the referee to stop it. It eventually ended, but not before Brown was forced to dish out more punishment than he wanted to.
3. Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 2 – UFC Fight Night 172
Benavidez is one of the most respected names in MMA, but this fight was tough to watch.
Figueiredo dropped him multiple times and finished the fight with a savage rear-naked choke. Benavidez was clearly unconscious, yet the submission was held longer than necessary. The haunting visual of his eyes rolled back is one no fan will forget soon.
2. Asha Roka vs. Hannah Kampf – SFL 2017 Semis
This lesser-known fight stands out for a complete failure in officiating.
Kampf was trapped in a tight guillotine and went limp. But the referee didn’t intervene. Her corner, led by UFC vet Dennis Hallman, had to throw in the towel and literally climb the cage to stop the fight.
A shocking reminder that fighter safety should always come first.
1. Francisco Trinaldo vs. Jai Herbert – UFC Fight Night 174
This fight sparked a public feud between referee Herb Dean and commentator Dan Hardy.
After Trinaldo landed a crushing blow that dropped Herbert, it was clear the fight was over. Trinaldo hesitated to follow up, waiting for the stoppage—but none came. Dan Hardy could be heard yelling “Stop the fight!” on live broadcast.
Dean eventually stepped in, but not before more shots landed on a defenseless Herbert. The incident led to heated debates about the boundaries between commentators and officials.
