Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater (Josh Hedges/UFC)
Ratner says decision can’t be reviewed, but stands behind instant replay
Erick Silva‘s controversial disqualification loss to Carlo Prater at UFC 142 last week will stand.
The UFC late Thursday released a statement saying referee Mario Yamasaki‘s decision to DQ Silva at the event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, could not be overturned.
In the fight, which took place on the main card, Silva rushed Prater early, landing a knee to the body that crumpled him. He then landed hammerfists on the ground until Yamasaki stepped in as Prater covered up. Silva celebrated what appeared to be another quick UFC victory in front of his home fans, like the one he had in his UFC debut at UFC 134 in August.
But after a delay in the results being read, Prater was announced as the winner by disqualification due to strikes to the back of his head by Silva. Yamasaki told Joe Rogan he had warned Silva as he was delivering the blows – only one of which appeared to strike the back of the head when shown on replays.
In the statement, UFC vice president of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner said Yamasaki’s decision can’t be reviewed due to the nature of the foul. For international events, the UFC does its own regulation in the absence of the state regulating bodies that exist for events in the United States.
“Based on the referee’s verbal warnings and his determination that the blows were intentional and a disqualifying foul, this is not the type of decision that can be reviewed,” Rather said. “Therefore, the decision stands.”
Ratner, though, went on to throw his support behind the use of instant replay, in not just international events, but by commissions in the U.S. – even though Yamasaki’s determination had to stand in the Silva-Prater bout, rendering instant replay moot in that case.
“Recently, Zuffa has decided to implement the use of instant replay at all international events that are self-regulated, and to encourage all regulators to consider the feasibility and effectiveness of instant replay in the sport of MMA,” Ratner said. “While instant replay would not have reversed the call in the Silva-Prater bout, we believe that it could be valuable to referees and the sport in the future.”