UFC Oklahoma City results: Kevin Lee submits Michael Chiesa after controversial ref stoppage

Get the Full StoryKevin Lee submitted Michael Chiesa in the UFC Oklahoma City main event, but Chiesa was upset with referee Mario Yamasaki for intervening when he never tapped and wasn t out cold. The main event of UFC Oklahoma City was a lightweight battle between Kevin Lee and Michael Chiesa. These two were notably in a press conference confrontation in May, and they settled their score in the final week of June ... somewhat. Referee Mario Yamasaki made himself the center of controversy with the way he handled the stoppage of this one.

A strong left hand backed Lee up. Chiesa pushed forward and took Lee down, and went for a choke but couldn t get the positioning. Lee slammed Chiesa hard to the mat, and Chiesa wasted no time going for a triangle choke. The Motown Phenom avoided an armbar and then took Chiesa s back. He softened Chiesa up with punches and had a tight body triangle. Lee was draped all over The Maverick like a backpack. He went for the rear naked choke, with the arm underneath the chin, and then Mario Yamasaki believed that Chiesa went out, but evidently he wasn t out. There was no tap from Chiesa, and he was irate that Yamasaki stopped the fight. He yelled, I didn t tap, what the f k?! as Lee celebrated and the crowd booed.

Official result: Kevin Lee def. Michael Chiesa by technical submission rear naked choke at 4:37 of round 1

It s a fifth successive win for Lee and the biggest one of his career, as Chiesa was ranked #6. As for Chiesa, it s a rough loss to take, as his winning streak ends at three and the stoppage looked to be premature. Both men seemed receptive to a rematch in December, as apparently the UFC is headed to Detroit, which is Lee s hometown.

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