UFC welterweight Jake Matthews is seeking to overturn a controversial defeat to Neil Magny at Fight Night Perth, citing a questionable referee blunder at the end of the first round.
During his bout at the RAC Arena, Matthews had Magny caught in a guillotine choke, and the American's arm appeared to go limp just before the round ended.
The referee initially waived off the fight, but after Magny protested, the contest resumed, ultimately allowing the veteran to rally and win in the third round.
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Matthews' shared a statement on Instagram, confirming the appeal has been filed with the Western Australia combat sports commission.
"The fight stoppage is currently under review by the state combat commission," Matthews wrote.
"It’s not easy to switch back on after a referee’s call, but we’ll leave it in their hands and see where it goes.
"At the end of the day, rules are rules."
'The Celtic Kid' was riding a three-fight win streak into the weekend, his most consistent run of form since 2020.
A win over Magny, who was only recently ousted from the UFC rankings, likely would have catapulted the Victorian into the mix of contenders at the bottom of the top 15.
Unless the ruling is overturned by the commission, which has historically been a rarity for these kinds of scenarios, Matthews will have to rebuild again through the division at age 31.
It's also unclear whether Matthews will receive compensation for the victory, since he would've only earned his 'show money' and not his 'win bonus' on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the state combat commission explained that while referees hold ultimate authority during bouts, the commission has the power to review any appeal.
"While it has minimal scope to intervene regarding the outcome of a contest or a referee’s decision, the combat sports commission will assess any information it receives in relation to an appeal," the spokesperson told MMA Fighting.
The controversial stoppage leaves Matthews in a challenging position, but he appears determined to see the appeals process through.