UFC on ESPN+ 17 in Mexico City, Mexico, featured a pivotal featherweight bout as hometown hero and #7 ranked Yair ‘Al Pantera’ Rodriguez took on dangerous striker and #8 ranked Jeremy ‘Lil Heathen’ Stephens.
The fight solely on paper, promised to be a barn burner. Rodriguez had come of a last second knockout win over the Korean Zombie. The stylistic template of fight as to whether Rodriguez could deal with Stephens’ power and whether Stephens could deal with Rodriguez’ ability to maintain distance, had fans already excited and intrigued.
That was however short lived as Stephens suffered an accidental eye poke from Rodriguez within 10 seconds of the fight. What seemed like a superficial one, quickly escalated to the point where Stephens couldn’t continue and the fight had to be called off as a ‘no contest’.
Tensions flared inside the arena as the audience started pelting beer cans, popcorn and plastic bottles inside the octagon, particularly on Stephens. A disappointed Rodriguez then addressed the frustrated crowd and demanded a rematch.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to the anticlimactic situation (via Twitter):
This strike to the eye caused the #UFCMexico main event to be ruled a No Contest pic.twitter.com/EXIKa2PyeE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 22, 2019
All class from the Mexican fans…#UFCMexico
— 𝔾𝕃𝕀𝕋ℂℍ (@MMAPORT) September 22, 2019
Disgusting behavior. Absolutely pitiful. https://t.co/y0tNCeHALq
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 22, 2019
This is sucks 🙄 #UFCMexico
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) September 22, 2019
WTH just happened. His eye wouldn’t open or he wouldn’t open it. I can’t even believe that lmao
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) September 22, 2019
Ppl saying Stephens wanted out of the fight?? He is one of the toughest and most dangerous guy in that division. I highly doubt he faked how severe that eye-poke affected him. I felt Yair would our point him with kicks, but tn we won’t get to find out…Sucks. #UFCMexico
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) September 22, 2019
That’s the shitty thing about MMA with an eye poke the fans lose, everyone loses, but Fighter A & B both generally lose in this situation. I’m sure neither fighter is stoked about the half a pay check going home. Unless the a #Hungergames sends them a parachute. #UFCMexcico
— Seth Baczynski (@Sethbmma) September 22, 2019
If you guys think for even one second that @LiLHeathenMMA wasn’t legit hurt then you’re crazy. A swipe like that means that Yair likely accidentally tore Jeremy’s cornea. It doesn’t happen from pokes or happens from a swiping motion. Ask @TheJamesKrause how that feels #UFCMexico
— Laura Sanko (@laura_sanko) September 22, 2019
Don't you DARE question Jeremy Stephens's heart or commitment. He has fought the absolute best of his generation often to his own detriment. If ANYONE says he is hurt, Stephens is the most believable of them all.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) September 22, 2019
Our security team physically shielded Jeremy and others tonight from the completely unnecessary objects being throw. They work so hard and are such a joy to be around, I just want to publicly acknowledge & thank them for how much they care about everyone around the organization.
— Megan Olivi (@MeganOlivi) September 22, 2019
Was this much thrown at 229? Didn’t seem like it but maybe. Either way, who cares? Look at what they are doing to a guy who can’t see. Bad either way.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 22, 2019
This is horrible. https://t.co/judi1STNk3
— Niko Price (@Nikohybridprice) September 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/blondefighter/status/1175620167658889216
These fans tonight are absolutely classless. Throwing trash in the ring now. Yair isn't doing very well, either, celebrating angrily after the fight is called due to his illegal blow. #UFCMexico
— Elias Cepeda (@EliasCepeda) September 22, 2019
My wife, the optometrist: 'If he can't open his eye like that, he probably has a corneal abrasion.' Says he would likely be blurry for at least a few hours, possibly a few days. FWIW.
— Dann Stupp (@DannStupp) September 22, 2019
I have had a corneal abrasion from an eye poke. It burned like hell and after the fight had to go to the ER for them to open and flush it. Hurt like hell.
— Nina Ansaroff (@NinaAnsaroff) September 22, 2019
According to coach @EricDelFierro, @LiLHeathenMMA "still has not been able to open that eye" and will likely be sent to an emergency ophthalmologist (via @HeidiAndrol) pic.twitter.com/g9CZlHnzLI
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 22, 2019
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