Ricky Simon and Merab Dvalishvili took home a ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus for their undercard brawl at UFC Atlantic City, but that extra cash didn’t quell the controversy surrounding the bout’s unbelievable finish.
On the verge of losing a clear-cut judges’ decision, UFC newcomer Simon somehow snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a Hail Mary mounted guillotine against Dvalishvili in the closing seconds of the match on Saturday night. Dvalishvili fought gamely against the choke and never tapped, however officials for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board ruled that the Georgia native was actually unconscious at the end of the bout, leading them to award Simon a TKO victory at 5:00 of the third round — the latest stoppage in a three-round fight in UFC history.