Ronny Markes (Josh Hedges/UFC)
Rocha, Herman among fighters on short-term shelf
Four fighters were given medical suspensions after last week’s UFC card in Omaha, Neb.
The Nebraska State Athletic Commission gave 30-day suspensions to Vagner Rocha, Dave Herman and Philip De Fries, and Ronny Markes was suspended indefinitely, pending a doctor’s release. Brian Dunn, the lead inspector of the Nebraska State Athletic Commission, on Tuesday reported the suspensions to HeavyMMA.
UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger took place at the Omaha Civic Auditorium last Wednesday and was headlined by a welterweight contenders fight between Diego Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger. Ellenberger, an Omaha native and resident, won by 29-28 unanimous decision after surviving a third-round rally by Sanchez, who looked close to finishing the fight.
Rocha, Herman and De Fries were the only fighters on the card to suffer knockout or TKO losses, making their 30-day suspensions of standard precautionary nature.
Rocha was knocked out in the first round by Jonathan Brookins, the first knockout loss of his career. It was Rocha’s first fight at featherweight after dropping from lightweight. De Fries landed some good shots on Stipe Miocic very early in their heavyweight fight, but Miocic responded by returning fire, knocking De Fries out in just 43 seconds. And in the co-main event, Herman was stopped by a second-round TKO against Stefan Struve for just the third loss of his career.
Markes was the only suspended fighter to win his bout. He beat Aaron Simpson by split decision in a fight that was largely contested in the clinch along the fence, drawing criticism from the fans as well as UFC president Dana White.