Mario Yamasaki comments on controversial disqualification of Erick Silva at UFC 142
"To err is human."
When the fight was stopped between Erick Silva and Carlo Prater, who battled on the main card of the UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" pay-per-view event back on Jan. 14 in Rio, most of the fans both at home and in attendance thought it was another first round win for the fast-rising "Indio."
Not quite.
Following the stoppage, referee Mario Yamasaki awarded Prater the win by disqualification, citing repeated blows to the back of "Neo's" head, despite warning Silva to keep 'em clean.
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who was amidst the post-fight confusion waiting for his opportunity to interview Silva, confronted Yamasaki on live television and asked him to explain his decision against the big screen replay, which appeared to exonerate the Brazilian from excessive fouls.
The longtime referee explained that in the heat of the moment, he made the best decision he could; however, he recently spoke to Radio PVT in Brazil about the kind of impact instant replay could have in support of combat sports.
Check it out.
"To err is human and it is no shame to admit that you made a mistake and change your opinion. I think it is great for the referees (the new rule) and give us an opportunity the take a better look in what happened and finally make our decision. The athletes work so hard to fight at the UFC that they deserve it. [Silva] showed class and maturity. He could have made it a circus with the interview after the fight, but understood the situation and behaved like a real gentleman. He is a great kid. [Joe Rogan] was doing his job and it was my mistake of staying there in the middle. I should had left before that."
Yamasaki is also hoping to become an instrumental part in establishing an athletic commission in Brazil.
The Silva camp had mounted a campaign to get the call reversed. Unfortunately for them, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner said the decision was not reversible and the DQ finish would stand.
Would having a commission already in place made a difference on fight night?
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Good on Mario for telling it like it is. Joe did his job well, Silva was classy as they come and it's great that Mario can admit his mistake.
TRAIN BY DAY, JOE ROGAN PODCAST BY NIGHT - ALL DAY.
I agree 100%
Its true…
We can all get along
Sig bets with umabig:
Condit beats Diaz on Feb. 4, 2 weeks
Akiyama beats Shields on Feb. 26, 2 week
by enzo-enormous on Feb 2, 2012 9:53 AM EST up reply actions
That statement is about as close to an admission as you are going to get from Mario Yamasaki.
"To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." - William Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3)
If someone completely
covers up where the only place you can hit them is in the back of the head, the fight should be stopped. It is almost like tapping
You've been Dana'd
I am a troll
Isn't that intelligently defending yourself though?
After a botched kick atempt in the AFC championship game vs the Patriots, Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff attempted to commit suicide. Unfortunately, he could'nt kick the chair out from under himself...
by ClinchKing on Feb 2, 2012 9:57 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
Weird Gray Area
I always wondered about that. Doesn’t seem intelligent, but it is defending. If he stays like that for more than a few seconds I say call the fight.
Live for God
by G Squat on Feb 2, 2012 10:09 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
you play the bongos on their back until they move their hands then you slap them in the face
we already know the counter for this type of defensive covering
circa regna tonat
by sir.tickleberry on Feb 2, 2012 2:20 PM EST up reply actions
i dont think so.
thats why “intelligently” is in the rule books. If laying flat on your belly and covering your head is intelligently defending, what is considered unintelligent defending?
to me, working for guard, tying up your opponents arms so they can’t strike, putting your feet in your opponents hips and pushing them off of you, moving your head, shooting for a takedown, etc is “intelligently defending”. laying on your belly and covering up, letting your opponent wail on you is not very intelligent.
"Jack of all trades, Master of none. Master of few, Jack everyone."- Greg Nelson
start destroying the ribs
Ala lil nog vs tito
by johnnysmash on Feb 2, 2012 10:00 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
why wont they just fix the call?
Kid deserves the win. Whts the big deal?
by johnnysmash on Feb 2, 2012 9:59 AM EST via mobile reply actions
cause the ref made the decision
they didnt go back and give the other kid a Perfect game when the ump fucked him. Its part of sports
and he is right, he shouldnt have been close to Rogan and a mic
But when they can change the outcome when it has PEDs involved, they should be able to do the same when the ref (obviously) made the wrong call imo.
It is possible but has to be pretty convincing. However this is a gray area because no athletic comission was involved; it was an overseas fight.
Personally, I don’t think it was convincing enough to reverse the call. That’s just me.
"It’s Mark Pavelich calling from the Maximum Fighting Championship,
I’ve just received notice that Drew Fickett or you, I don’t care which one of you fuckers did it, has signed a contract to fight in Strikeforce this fucking weekend. I’m going to get on a fucking plane soon and go where you’re at and choke you the fuck out. I’m telling you right now, I’ve had enough of your fucking shit. First of all, I’ve sent you the fucking pictures and secondly, I placed Drew Fickett in a fight fucking months ago and five weeks prior to my main event of my fucking fight card. You’re going to give me a fucking call tomorrow or I swear I’ll get on a fucking plane and go right where you’re at right now. You’re pissing me off, I’ve been nothing but professional to you motherfuckers and you’re doing this kind of bullshit, alright? Call me back, I’m fucking pissed."
by Swedish Chef smerdy herdy verdy on Feb 2, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
Re-watch the fight.
You’ll be convinced.
I re-watched it and counted like 3 possible ones to the back of the head but he was already on the verge of giving up. Those that landed on the back of the head were after the fact. but all the rest that did the real damage was either on the side of the head or on his shoulder.
by xMMAxTYSONxMMA on Feb 2, 2012 6:00 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Refreshing to read this kind of quote
Its unfortunate for all parties involved but hopefully something good will come from this
"How much more success can I obtain? If the sky is the limit then I'm living amongst the clouds"-letter19
by letter19 on Feb 2, 2012 10:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Joe was way out of line
calling him out like that infront of everyone live and on tv. That was just wrong! I had no problem with the stoppage, said it before, at full speed it looked like he was drubbing the back of his head. Weve all been watching sport for a long time, things look completely differant in slow motion. Mario is one of the best 3 refs in MMA, no prob at all, tough position to be put in.
by HEELHOOK on Feb 2, 2012 10:44 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
was he?
I agree that Yamasaki is one of the better refs out there, but he made the wrong call in that fight. We are always bitching on the forum that refs fuck up, why shouldn’t Joe do it there when it actually happens. Would it have been better/more acceptable if it was Mazzagatti instead of Mario? Would that have been ok?
right on
"It’s Mark Pavelich calling from the Maximum Fighting Championship,
I’ve just received notice that Drew Fickett or you, I don’t care which one of you fuckers did it, has signed a contract to fight in Strikeforce this fucking weekend. I’m going to get on a fucking plane soon and go where you’re at and choke you the fuck out. I’m telling you right now, I’ve had enough of your fucking shit. First of all, I’ve sent you the fucking pictures and secondly, I placed Drew Fickett in a fight fucking months ago and five weeks prior to my main event of my fucking fight card. You’re going to give me a fucking call tomorrow or I swear I’ll get on a fucking plane and go right where you’re at right now. You’re pissing me off, I’ve been nothing but professional to you motherfuckers and you’re doing this kind of bullshit, alright? Call me back, I’m fucking pissed."
by Swedish Chef smerdy herdy verdy on Feb 2, 2012 2:39 PM EST up reply actions
joe fucked up
of course yamasaki won’t say it ’cause that would get him in hot water with the ufc.
i can’t wait to see erick silva fight on the states, just so he either tests positive for roids or looks like half the fighter bitch he is
pride never die.
thats not an argument
thats a stupid comment.
"Here we are with Seraldo Babalu, you did an awesome job, saw why you’re a black belt in jiu-jitsu, getting an awesome submission there, I want to tell me what you see, let’s go ahead and see by the fight, what you saw, in the ring." - Tito (the Head) Ortiz - Great Commentator, or Greatest Commentator.
"GSP is me."
by El Pablo Diablo on Feb 2, 2012 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
I respect mario
He made the best call he could in the few seconds he had, with the lack of tools (instant replay/review) that would have helped. It’s unfortunate, but he’s being honest about it.
by otherdarkmeat on Feb 2, 2012 11:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Only way to solve this is a rematch
The kid clearly won the fight, it’s a eyesore on his record let them re-match later this year to make amends.
Agree 100%,
this guy should get the rematch, the sooner the better.
the only thing i found interesting was that theere is no commission in brazil
So when Anderson silva claimed to be a painkillers before the okami fight, there is no proof of this? Ed soares released that info days after the fight when Dan Henderson had been proposed as his next opponent. All of a sudden Anderson is hurt. But no commits means there was no record of any painkillers.
by Conan the Barbarian on Feb 2, 2012 11:46 AM EST reply actions
the ufc does the testing (if at all)
and they are the ones that disclose the results. I think anderson was on something more than just painkillers.
i’m glad the sonnen fight is there, at least sonnen can come in and fuck up silva again, regardless of who wins
pride never die.
not in that case. ed soares diclosed the results. the ufc had asked anderson to fight hendo on fox, then the next day ed soares leaked this injury report.
the whole thing was very fishy. i’m more concerned about the injury than the drugs. if guys can fight hurt, apparently so hurt that they need six-10 months off, then how is that addressing fighter safety,
by Conan the Barbarian on Feb 3, 2012 8:25 PM EST up reply actions

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