This is not a good look.
Following his TKO loss to bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 249, Dominick Cruz has revealed the referee 'smelt like alcohol' during the fight.
The 35-year old was stopped in the second round by official Keith Peterson, and appeared frustrated inside the cage post-fight.
MORE: All the post-fight reaction to UFC 249 | Ngannou's insane 20-second KO
But his latest claim could pose a huge dilemma for the UFC if it is true.
Speaking to ESPN following the defeat, the former two-time champion slammed Peterson for his decision and went on to make the bold claim.
“Totally cognisant is hard to say – you’re rocked, sometimes you get hit. I have been in those positions many times," he said.
"I had seconds left in the round, and I just think sometimes I wish that there was a way to keep these refs more responsible sometimes.
"The guy smelt like alcohol and cigarettes, so who knows what he was doing. I wish they drug tested them.
Wow. Cruz tearing Peterson a new one #UFC249 pic.twitter.com/CbHAIqW0hs
— Stian Berglund (@Duffe21) May 10, 2020
"I know Herb Dean is good, he is one of the best refs. Immediately when I saw that ref, I was like is there a way to veto a ref and get a new one?
"I wonder as fighters, do we have that choice? I wish we did."
Dominick Cruz on the #UFC249 post-fight show claims referee Keith Peterson “smelled like alcohol and cigarettes” during his fight. Said he wanted to have referee changed when he stepped in the cage.
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) May 10, 2020
The UFC is yet to respond to Cruz's claims.
Following the fight, his opponent Henry Cejudo announced his retirement from MMA in truly shocking fashion.
