CSAC Denies Phumi Nkuta Appeal and Upholds Herb Dean’s Ruling
The commission said replay review failed to meet the clear‑and‑convincing standard for overturning Adriano Moraes’s one‑second technical submission, leaving the result intact and keeping scrutiny on Dean’s recent refereeing.
Overview
- The California State Athletic Commission formally denied Phumi Nkuta’s appeal on Monday, July 13, 2026, so Adriano Moraes’s technical submission win stands.
- Moraes applied a rear‑naked choke that the commission and referee Herb Dean ruled a technical submission at 4:59 of round three after Dean requested an instant replay review at the event.
- Nkuta, who attended the Sacramento hearing, told commissioners he heard the final bell and argued Moraes held the choke after the horn, which he says caused him to lose consciousness.
- CSAC executive director Andy Foster said commissioners watched the replay many times but could not determine clearly when Nkuta lost consciousness, and the commission requires clear and convincing evidence to flip a result.
- The ruling snaps Nkuta’s 11‑fight winning streak, fuels calls for a rematch with a different referee, and deepens ongoing criticism from fighters about Herb Dean’s recent officiating.