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UFC fights can end in any number of ways. That is the appeal of MMA over the likes of boxing, kickboxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In boxing, a fight can end in a decision, knockout, or TKO, but is restricted to punches and nothing more. Kickboxing is more of the same but with the addition of kicks, knees, and elbows.
The elbows and knees, however, depend on the specific rule set, as certain styles of kickboxing differ from Muay Thai. In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, fights can end in a submission or decision. But in MMA, fights can end in every single way, whether a fighter's flatlined by a kick or slam or choked out by a guillotine.
Sometimes, however, a referee must step in to stop a fight if a fighter is no longer defending themselves intelligently, or if they don't tap out, opting instead to lose consciousness. But, as is often the case with people, human error exists, which has led to some referees stopping certain fights in a questionable manner.
#5. Ben Askren vs. Robbie Lawler, UFC 235
Ben Askren came into the UFC with a tremendous amount of hype behind him due to his then-undefeated record, high-level wrestling skills and welterweight title reigns in major MMA organizations like ONE Championship and Bellator. Upon signing with the UFC, he was matched up with Robbie Lawler.
Lawler was a former champion, but by 2019 was already declining. However, when the two faced off, it seemed like he was too good for someone who spent the better part of their career facing lesser competition. Askren shot for a takedown, only to be slammed on his head and busted open by a barrage of punches.
Despite being on the brink of a finish, Askren found his way back to his feet and scored a takedown minutes later. When Lawler tried to spin out of a rear-naked choke, 'Funky' transitioned into a bulldog choke. For a moment, it looked like Lawler's arm went limp, but as soon as the referee stepped in, chaos ensued.
Herb Dean broke the choke, assuming that Robbie Lawler was unconscious based on the way his arm dropped. But as soon as he broke the choke, Lawler immediately stood up and protested, revealing that he was conscious. It led to a questionable stoppage and varying opinions about whether Lawler was out.
#4. Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 1, UFC 245
It's up for debate whether the stoppage in Colby Covington's first encounter with Kamaru Usman was early. But there's a split opinion in the MMA community, with some believing the TKO was merited, while others point out that Covington apparently had his wits about him.
Their bout, which was the culmination of the first half of their feud, ended in round five. By then, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' had dropped 'Chaos' twice, showing glimpses of the future power-puncher to come. After flooring Covington for the second time in quick succession, Usman pounced with ground-and-pound.
However, upon closer inspection, the shots he threw landed mostly on Covington's arm as the latter shot for a desperation takedown. So when the referee stepped in to call the fight after just three or so of Kamaru Usman's hammer fists landed on the head, Colby Covington immediately stood up in protest and has done so since.
#3. Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz, UFC 249
UFC 249 marked the beginning of Henry Cejudo's first retirement, a move that many still believe was a mere ploy to force the promotion's hand in terms of upping his pay. He was defending his bantamweight title against one of the division's all-time greats: Dominick Cruz.
Their bout was competitive for large stretches, with the most notable moments being a clash of heads in the second round that opened a cut on Cejudo's head. However, by then, 'Triple C' had caught a win of Cruz's tendency to dip his head low in an exaggerated manner every time he tried to exit out of exchanges at an angle.
So, close to the end of round two, Cejudo intercepted Cruz's dipping head with a knee, rocking him. However, he didn't drop him in the traditional sense. Instead, he shoved Cruz right after the knee to off-balance him and send him to the ground. From there, he unloaded a series of punches.
But Cruz was neither out nor helpless. He was in the process of getting back to his feet when Keith Peterson stepped in to stop the fight, which led to a wave of criticism from the bantamweight great.
#2. Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald, UFC 115
Before his retirement, former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit was one of the most beloved MMA fighters on the roster. He was a source of guaranteed action in the cage and had several performance bonuses throughout his career, ranging from Fight of the Night to Knockout of the Night.
Meanwhile, Rory MacDonald was, at the time, a young undefeated prospect taking part in his sophomore UFC bout. As a fellow Canadian, he was regarded as Georges St-Pierre's successor. At UFC 115, he squared off against Carlos Condit, winning the first two rounds. But the third round changed everything.
Condit hurt MacDonald on the feet, prompting the Canadian to shoot for a takedown. A scramble ensued and ended with 'The Natural Born Killer' on top. From there, Condit landed ground-and-pound but MacDonald remained active on the bottom. He wasn't out or turtled up in a shell.
Regardless, with just seven seconds left in a fight that MacDonald was two rounds ahead and still moving his head, evading punches, the referee stepped in and called an end to the bout.
#1. Kevin Lee vs. Michael Chiesa, UFC Fight Night 112
The enmity between Kevin Lee and Michael Chiesa stems from the former interim lightweight title challenger's trash talk at a press conference, which caused a brief melee between both men. Fortunately, they were already scheduled to settle their differences at a Fight Night event that they were headlining.
When the two squared off, Chiesa clipped Lee with a left hand, splitting his guard before scoring a takedown. But in the ensuing madness, Lee managed to get back to his feet and scored a takedown of his own. As the two grappled, Lee mounted his foe's back and unloaded with ground and pound.
Eventually, Lee sank in a rear-naked choke, which Chiesa fought to the best of his ability. However, he never tapped out nor did he go unconscious, both of which are prerequisites for the referee to stop the fight. So when the referee stepped in to call the stoppage before Chiesa tapped or went out, Chiesa protested immediately.
