The manager for Mackens Semerzier is contesting the UFC bantamweight's TKO loss to Robert Peralta at this past Saturday's UFC on FOX event.
Brian Butler-Au of SuckerPunch Entertainment today informed MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he has filed an appeal with the California State Athletic Commission.
Veteran referee "Big" John McCarthy officiated the bout and said he didn't see an accidental headbutt during the fight that ultimately contributed to its end.
Semerzier (6-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) vs. Peralta (16-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) took place on the preliminary card of UFC on FOX, which streamed live on Facebook and FOXSports.com.
The accidental clash of heads came well into in the third round as the two exchanged punches. In real time, it appeared as though Semerzier was dropped by a punch as he threw a combination at Peralta. However, video replays inside the arena showed he was sent to the canvas when Peralta's head caught him in the temple.
"I did not see their heads clash, causing the knockout," McCarthy said. "Because if you look where I was at, Robbie's head was toward me, so Semerzier's head was on the other side, and they both threw a left hand and then a right hand that came across, and I thought those punches were what caused Mack to be hurt. (I) didn't even know that it was a headbutt."
If the foul had been caught, the bout likely would have gone to judges' scorecards since bouts that end as the result of a foul are judged based on the preceding rounds.
McCarthy said he didn't see the replays inside the arena and was informed of the headbutt backstage. But at that time, it was too late to initiate a review.
Per the CSAC's regulations, it's at the referee's sole discretion to request an on-site review of a fight using the commission's video monitors placed outside the cage or ring, if they are available. Monitors were used at UFC on FOX, CSAC Executive Director George Dodd said.
"I don't blame it on the referee," Semerzier today told MMAjunkie.com. "That stuff happens so fast. You have to see it on video to know what really happened. Once the video's played, everyone could see."
When initially contacted today, Dodd said he hadn't yet received Semerzier's appeal but said he would review the case when it came across his desk.
"If it warranted that it would need to go in front of the commission, I would have the commission review it," he said.
McCarthy saw a video of the fight on Sunday and said that what was obscured by his positioning and speed of the event became crystal clear in slow motion.
"Once you look at it on the replay, absolutely it was the headbutt that caused it," he said.
McCarthy said he'd gladly take part in the appeals process if called to do so.
"If he appeals it, and I would too if I was him because if you go back and look at the replay, his going down was caused by an accidental collision of their heads," he said. "It wasn't intentional on either guy. So he should go to the commission. The commission will look at it, they'll ask me what I saw, and I'm going to tell them what I saw and what I saw on the replay."
The bout's result could be changed to a no-decision if a formal appeal is successful.
Meanwhile, Semerzier hopes that a rematch can be put together at a later date.
"I think, as a fighter, that would only be right – unless he wants to tuck it in his back pocket and tell people he knocked me out," he said. "Because he knows, I know, and everybody knows that's not the case.
"I was a man after the fight, and I hope he's a man in giving me a rematch, or asking for it at least."
