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Dana White on Derrick Lewis vs. Sergei Pavlovich UFC 277 stoppage: ‘It was definitely early’
Heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich scored a first-round finish over Derrick Lewis on the UFC 277 main card on Saturday, but many felt the fight was stopped early.
Pavlovich hurt Lewis with a right hand followed by an uppercut. Lewis retreated but Pavlovich kept the pressure on landing more punches. Lewis fell to the canvas but immediately got back to his feet. While he was standing, referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the fight.
American Airlines Center erupted in boos following the stoppage. One of those that believed the bout was stopped prematurely was UFC President Dana White.
“I think it was too soon, but to be fair, Miragliotta is a great ref,” White said. “The way that he (Lewis) fell, probably nine out of ten of the people in this room would have jumped on him and stopped the fight, including me.”
“I like the ref, but I wouldn’t debate that that was an early stoppage. It was definitely an early stoppage. When you jump right back up like that, and you’re ready to go. Listen, he was a little rocked, but no more rocked than Julianna (Peña) was three or four times during the fight and she fought five rounds.
“Miragliotta made a mistake. It happens. I don’t think it diminishes Derrick Lewis at all. I would have liked to have seen that fight go on.”