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Moraes Wins Controversial Submission; Nkuta Unconscious Pre-Bell

5/21/2026

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Summary

Moraes Submission Awarded

May 16, 2026, referee Herb Dean awarded a submission to Adriano Moraes over Phumi Nkuta.
Replay showed Nkuta unconscious before the final bell, prompting Dean to say Moraes was not disqualified.
Scorecards showed Nkuta ahead 20-18 on two judges and 19-19 on the third, leading his team to appeal to California State Athletic Commission.
Despite the loss, Nkuta received a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus and a flat-fee payout.

Summary

Sterling Slams Dean

Aljamain Sterling called Herb Dean an “awful referee” and said he should stop officiating elite MMA fights.
He criticized MMA officiating as a “tenure” or “old-boys club” and cited Dean’s delayed response to Francis Ngannou’s knockout of Philipe Lins on the Rousey-Carano card.
Sterling also recalled Dean urging Merab Dvalishvili to “work” during grappling at UFC 306 and urged a formal review that could demote Dean to lower-level events.

History

Historical Context

In October 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor at UFC 229, sparking a cage-side brawl that put referee Herb Dean under intense scrutiny. The Nevada State Athletic Commission withheld half of Nurmagomedov’s $2 million purse while investigating the incident, and the bout set an overall record with 2.4 million pay-per-view purchases globally for the sport.

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Moraes Submission Awarded

May 16, 2026, referee Herb Dean awarded a submission to Adriano Moraes over Phumi Nkuta.
Replay showed Nkuta unconscious before the final bell, prompting Dean to say Moraes was not disqualified.
Scorecards showed Nkuta ahead 20-18 on two judges and 19-19 on the third, leading his team to appeal to California State Athletic Commission.
Despite the loss, Nkuta received a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus and a flat-fee payout.

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