Overview
- The fight ended in a disputed finish on Saturday, May 16, when Adriano Moraes locked a rear‑naked choke in the final second and, after instant replay, referee Herb Dean was ruled that Phumi Nkuta lost consciousness at 4:59 of round three.
- Nkuta’s team has formally appealed the result to the California State Athletic Commission and the commission is now reviewing whether to uphold, overturn, or modify the ruling.
- Herb Dean has publicly defended his call, saying repeated replay review convinced him Nkuta went unconscious before the bell, and he discussed the footage with commission officials at ringside.
- Nkuta, his coach Ray Longo, and former champion Aljamain Sterling have criticized the stoppage and urged greater referee accountability, noting official scorecards had Nkuta ahead on two judges’ cards before the late finish.
- The episode has exposed limits of split‑second replay judgments on live, high‑profile cards and could affect Nkuta’s record and scrutiny of veteran officials depending on the CSAC’s final decision.