There is a common misconception in MMA, according to referee Rob Hinds. The bell does not end a round or a fight — the ref does, per rules. It doesn’t matter if strikes come after the bell, only if those strikes were thrown after the referee steps in to stop the action.
“When the bell sounds, whenever that happens that’s just our indication to stop the round,” said Hinds, who is an Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) certified trainer of referees and judges. “That’s not the signal for the exact end of the round. We need to make sure we’re in position and everything is in place to stop the action as close to that horn as possible.