Overview
- Tahir Abdullayev won by third-round TKO over Jefferson Nascimento at UFC Baku on Saturday, June 27, 2026, and video circulating after the fight shows him appearing to bite Nascimento’s ear during a prior grappling exchange.
- Referee Jim Perdios did not stop the action or issue a penalty for the moment captured on video, prompting widespread fan and pundit criticism of his performance on the card.
- The footage shared on social platforms is not definitive and observers note alternative explanations such as incidental contact with a cauliflower ear, and neither fighter has publicly accused the other or commented on the clip.
- Coverage ties the clip to other contentious calls on the Baku card, including unpenalized fouls in the Magomedov–Pereira bout, and has renewed calls from some fighters and fans for clearer officiating standards.
- No formal UFC disciplinary action or regulatory complaint had been reported in the articles reviewed, but the promotion has historically punished confirmed biting incidents and a complaint or review could change the fight result or lead to sanctions.