Gilbert Burns took Stephen Thompson to task with a decision win at UFC 264, but after some questionable strikes to the back of the head, Marc Goddard has decided to chime in.
The fight was truly a pressure cooker of an affair, as the stakes for both fighters were so consequential. For Thompson, it would have meant a third title shot at the age of 38, and for Burns, it would be his ticket to a viable path that ends with Kamaru Usman who beat him roughly five months earlier in devastating fashion.
In the eyes of some, illegal blows may have been at play when Gilbert Burns beat “Wonderboy” to the punch at UFC 264. Enter Marc Goddard, the notable referee who gave his take on the situation.
Marc Goddard Explains Why No Action Was Taken During Burns/Thompson Ending
While Burns controlled Thompson on the ground against the cage at the end of the fight, the Brazilian rained strikes down on the Karate expert. However, in the awkward positioning, it appeared to many that a few strikes hit the back of the head, which is obviously illegal.
Upon further examination, a fan gave a polite evaluation of Goddard’s performance as a referee. In response, the seasoned professional gave a detailed explanation of his point of view as the third person inside the cage.
“Of course I can. I’ll always try to offer explanation, sadly it gets drowned out. You’ll see that only the 4th shot is a glancing blow to the nape of the neck. The first shots are top & side. The last 5 clearly to the shoulder. I try to maintain clarity in chaos! Hope this helps.” Marc Goddard posted on Twitter.
Following Burns’ performance against “Wonderboy”, the Jui-Jitsu specialist maintains his welterweight ranking at #2. There is mystery surrounding if they were illegal shots or not, but they weren’t deemed important or illegal enough for referee Marc Goddard to intervene.
On another note, it’s nice to see a referee sharing their point of view with fans/fighters so that we can all better understand the chaos that takes place inside the Octagon.
Do you think Gilbert Burns landed illegal shots against Thompson? Let us know!
