Keith Peterson [Image courtesy: @aaronbronsteter, @MMAFighting on Twitter]

What did Keith Peterson do? UFC referee gets slammed online as terrible mistake costs fighters prize money

Modified Jun 18, 2023 05:03 GMT

UFC referee Keith Peterson recently made a blunder while officiating a prelims card bout between Ronnie Lawrence and Dan Argueta at UFC Vegas 75.

Argueta barely had attempted a guillotine on Lawrence who was adjusting his arm when Peterson stopped the fight, mistaking the movement for a tap. The referee owned up to his brazen mistake and declared the fight a No Contest, depriving both fighters of their win bonus.

MMAFighting.com

@MMAFighting

Bit of controversy early at #UFCVegas75…

The fight between Dan Argueta and Ronnie Lawrence is declared a No Contest after it's determined referee Keith Peterson prematurely stopped the fight

Aaron Bronsteter

@aaronbronsteter

Cruz is being very over the top here.

The no contest is an admission that Keith Peterson made a mistake and that will undoubtedly be reviewed by the commission.

He says the fighters take a hit, but it's a no contest and both fighters will receive their show money. twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

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According to TSN's Aaron Bronsteter, Keith Peterson owning up to his mistake and declaring a draw was the best possible resolution under the circumstances. Bronsteter wrote:

"If Peterson was adamant that it was a tap, it was declared a victory for Argueta, appealed by Lawrence and then denied/not overturned, then that's an issue. This resolution is the best case scenario for human error. Swift and decisive."

Aaron Bronsteter

@aaronbronsteter

If Peterson was adamant that it was a tap, it was declared a victory for Argueta, appealed by Lawrence and then denied/not overturned, then that's an issue.

This resolution is the best case scenario for human error. Swift and decisive.

However, not everyone agreed with Bronsteter and refused to cut Peterson any slack for the blatant error. Many agree with former UFC champ Dominick Cruz, who was on commentary duty at UFC Vegas 75 and slammed Peterson's officiating yet again.

In reaction, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub wrote:

"Fighter loses out on win money and chance for bonus money. Dom def not over the top. Clearly an issue."

Brendan Schaub

@BrendanSchaub

@aaronbronsteter Fighter loses out on win money and chance for bonus money. Dom def not over the top. Clearly an issue.

Check out more comments from fighters and fans below:

"But both fighters have no chance to receive the other half which is life changing at times"

Brian BOOM Kelleher

@brianboom135

@aaronbronsteter But both fighters have no chance to receive the other half which is life changing at times

Homelander MMA

@HomelanderMMA

Dominick Cruz trying to remain professional after Keith Peterson mistake

Hani

@HaniM780

@aaronbronsteter Do a training camp and put all your effort in show casing your skills for the fight to end up the way it did. Not only does it not count as a w for the fighter dominating the beginning of the fight but they also miss out on win money. Each training camp puts mileage on the body!

Wayne Halcomb

@WayneHalcomb13

@aaronbronsteter Peterson should be fired because this is far from his first egregious error. Dude is probably drunk.

Lando Vannata

@GroovyLando

@aaronbronsteter Only making your show money is definitely taking a hit bud.

Nick

@quones24

@aaronbronsteter Yeah but the dude winning doesn’t get their win money and now you wasted all that time cutting weight and everything for no win or loss

Awakened mind

@EruditeMMA

@aaronbronsteter Both fighters should receive their win money as well under circumstances like that or some sort of bonus, if both only receive their show money it’s pretty much a punishment for whoever the winner would’ve been & they could’ve potentially gotten a POTN or FOTN bonus too

gimme head til I’m dead

@suckmyass1312

Get Keith Peterson out of the UFC omg

Primetime

@TheAlphaRock1

I feel sorry for fighters in Keith Peterson fights going forward. He’s never gonna call a fight until you’re dead now

SpecialHead 💪👊🤙

@UFCSpecialHead

@aaronbronsteter Why is it that they couldn't restart the fight?
It is a shame that both fighters had to go through all the preparation and someone miss out on the win money and possibly a performance of the night bonus.

Dominick Cruz's beef with Keith Peterson goes back a long time before Dan Argueta vs. Ronnie Lawrence

Dominick Cruz has openly slammed UFC referee Keith Peterson in the past and even requested a different official for his octagon appearances. The beef started back in 2020 when Peterson stopped Cruz's UFC 249 fight against Henry Cejudo late in round 2 after 'Dominator' took a flurry from 'Triple C'.

Dominick Cruz immediately protested the stoppage and even went on to claim that the referee was smelling of 'cigarettes and alcohol'. The former champ said in his post-fight interview:

"I had seconds left in the round and I just think that sometimes I wish there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible sometimes. The guy smelled like alcohol and cigarettes so who knows what he was doing? I wish they drug tested them. I know Herb Dean is good. He’s one of the best refs. Immediately when I saw that ref, I was like man is there a way to veto a ref and get a new one? I wonder that. As fighters do we have that choice? I wish we did.”

Catch Cruz's comments on Keith Peterson below:

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Edited by
Sayan Nag