"At no time during the fight did I complain about blows to the neck because I was almost knocked out there and did not know where the blows were coming. And nobody asked me also if I could continue, they just asked what hurt. Then I thought I had lost [the fight]. Only at the hospital did they tell me that it had been ruled a no contest. It was a bad thing to have taken the victory from Yuri, but when I reviewed the fight, I saw that the blows really came on the neck. It is illegal, so the no contest was fair. I felt the blows when I turned back. I was almost knocked out already. If he did not land those blows to the neck, he would have achieved a fair victory. As for the crowd, I did not understand why they called me quitter because, as I said, in my mind I was leaving to the hospital after losing by TKO. I saw the repercussions on the Internet, and I was sad. Everyone who has been following my career knows me. Everyone knows the character I have, but [some are saying] that I gave up the fight. Gee, brother, I was knocked out. The referee stopped it; the fight was over. I did not ask to stop, and they did not ask if I wanted to continue."

Before the mixed martial arts (MMA) community marches Pedro Nobre in front of a firing squad, they may want to give "The Rock" a chance to explain his side of the story (at PVT via Sherdog.com). The Brazilian was rescued by referee Dan Miraglistoppa in the first round of his bout against Yuri Alcantara at the UFC on FX 7 event last weekend in Sao Paulo, after "Marajo" appeared to have landed accidental blows to the back of the head. The replay, however, proved differently, and Nobre was vilified for his inability to continue. Even UFC President Dana White called him a "fantastic actor." But was the 26-year-old bantamweight looking for a way out? Or the fall guy for a bad stoppage?