Marc Goddard Addresses Officiating of Christian Leroy Duncan Eye Pokes

Referee Marc Goddard has provided further context regarding the officiating of the recent main event clash between Brendan Allen and Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Vegas 122. During the bout, which ended in a fifth-round submission victory for Allen, the focus of controversy centered on Duncan’s multiple eye pokes.

Goddard clarified his decision-making process, specifically addressing the timing of the penalty issued against Duncan. The official noted that Duncan had been explicitly warned regarding the extension of his fingers during the contest before a formal point deduction was assessed for his infractions. The intervention became a critical talking point of the matchup, as the illegal blows periodically halted the flow of the high-stakes middleweight fight.

While the outcome saw Brendan Allen emerge with the win, the officiating regarding eye pokes remains a recurring theme in modern MMA discourse. Goddard’s clarification aims to settle the specifics of how the warnings were administered during this particular main event engagement.

Source: Sherdog.