MMA pros skewer referee Keith Peterson for turning a blind eye to Michael Chandler landing multiple illegal shots on Charles Oliveira

Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira put on a performance that put any doubts regarding the booking of their rematch to rest. The thrilling five-round affair featured relentless action, dramatic exchanges, and sheer grit as Oliveira dominated Chandler en route to a unanimous decision win. However, there were several moments during the fight where referee Keith Peterson overlooked several illegal moves, which drew strong criticism from the MMA community.

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Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling took to X to criticize the referring in the fight and wrote:

"Wow! Talk about back of the head punches! That was brutal! Ref not saying sh*t"

"Keith my guy but that was crazy work. That type of sh*t can really fu*k a person up."

UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen wrote:

"Did the ref not see all those to the back of the head."

UFC flyweight contender Casey O'Neill wrote:

"Back of the head over and over… Keith Peterson, what are you looking at?"

Check out some of the reactions below:

Pros react to Michael Chandler's illegal moves against Charles Oliveira. [Screenshots courtesy: Accounts in X]

As for the fight, Oliveira controlled the pace with his striking from the opening bell, landing crisp front kicks and punishing right hands. His flawless grappling game was on full display, particularly in the first round when he scored a beautiful takedown and kept Chandler on the defensive with his smothering top control.

In the second round, Oliveira amplified the pressure, landing heavy strikes and securing a full mount, where he rained down brutal elbows. Chandler had no answer for Oliveira’s pressure, struggling to generate any significant offense.

The American attempted to rally in the third round, landing a few decent strikes, but Oliveira’s grappling pressure kept him on the back foot. Just when it seemed Oliveira was on track for a dominant, one-sided victory, Chandler made a final push in the fifth. He landed powerful punches and even attempted a takedown, but Oliveira’s superior control and expert grappling never allowed him to gain any real momentum.