"You Have To Have A Penalty": Cormier Daniel Wants Dan Miragliotta Pulled From Upcoming UFC Assignments

Daniel Cormier delivers blunt verdict on Dan Miragliotta.© NDTV Photo Library

Daniel Cormier wants referee Dan Miragliotta to face consequences for the controversial stand-up in the Tom Nolan vs. Renato Moicano UFC Vegas 123. Cormier said the decision was one of the biggest officiating errors he has witnessed, even after taking time to review it. Miragliotta stood the fighters up in Round 2 while Moicano had back control and a body triangle locked in. Nolan hurt Moicano soon after the reset and stopped him with punches and elbows at 1:28 of Round 3.

Cormier refuses to let Miragliotta's controversial call slide

Daniel Cormier, who worked as a colour commentator at the event, said he saw the error from beside the Octagon. He argued that back control is a dominant position and should not be reset when a fighter is actively working.

“There was no stalling. He was not being timid. He was actually attempting to try to get to that position,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.

Cormier stressed, "It is so clear that the mistake led to the change in the outcome that you have to have a penalty. Everybody else is held accountable. We're all held accountable for our actions.” He said, “Nobody should be above that, officials included.”

He believes the Nevada State Athletic Commission should remove Miragliotta from upcoming assignments: “Dan Miragliotta should not be there.” This includes the UFC event at the Apex and UFC 334 in New York, where the heavyweight title will be on the line.

Moicano points finger at crowd pressure after controversial UFC stoppage

Renato Moicano believes crowd booing influenced Miragliotta's decision. The Brazilian said referees are human and can be affected by the arena atmosphere.

“I was in a very hard position to get,” Moicano told Ariel Helwani. “I'm not saying I would win the fight; I cannot say that. But I can say that was wrong.”

Moicano has decided not to appeal the result or seek punishment for Miragliotta. He accepted responsibility for not finishing Nolan from back control while still calling the stand-up a mistake.

Nolan fires back at stoppage debate

Tom Nolan rejected the idea that the stand-up alone changed the result. He said Moicano took him down again after the reset and that he eventually reversed the position before securing the finish.

The Australian improved to 12-1 and moved to No. 7 in the UFC's lightweight rankings. Moicano fell to 21-8-1 and remains at No. 14.

The controversy has drawn criticism from Joe Rogan, John McCarthy, Michael Bisping, and Cormier. Rogan told Daniel Cormier in a message that “it's not a sport if refs can do that.”