The Nevada State Athletic Commission will investigate after Max Rohskopf's corner refused to stop the fight when he told them he wanted to quit ahead of the third round of his lightweight bout with Austin Hubbard in Las Vegas.
In his UFC debut, the 5-0 Rohskopf was outgunned after taking the fight on just five days' notice.
He was badly beaten in the second round, with all three judges scoring the frame 10-8 to the three UFC fight veteran Hubbard.
After the second round, Rohskopf sat on his stool and told his coach, Robert Drysdale to stop the bout.
"Call it, call it, call it," Rohskopf can be heard saying, with Drysdale responding: "You can beat this guy, Max, we've got this.
"You're gonna beat this guy. Just listen to me."
Rohskopf doubles down, saying he can't beat Hubbard, adding: "Rob, call it. Call it."
In total, Rohskopf says he wants to stop the fight over 10 times, finishing off with: "I don't want to do this anymore. I don't have it. Call it."
At one point it seemed Drysdale was on the verge of stopping it, but eventually gave some final instructions before allowing Rohskopf to stand up for the third and final round.
It took legendary NSAC inspector Charvez Foger to step in and tell referee Mark Smith that Rohskopf didn't want to fight on. Smith asked Rohskopf if he wanted to stop the fight and Hubbard was declared the winner.
Watch the incident below.
Inside the corner of Max Rohskopf before the fight is called off at #UFCVegas3 pic.twitter.com/hZrfnaMObt
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 20, 2020
The moment is just the most recent instance of a corner unwilling to throw in the towel or listen to their fighters.
In May, Anthony Smith's corner came under heavy fire for allowing the light heavyweight to continue despite being on the receiving end of a hammering by Glover Teixiera.
There was an instant backlash to the disturbing scenes on social media.
As I've said a million times before, the attitude displayed by Rohskopf's corner is a real problem in the sport. It won't begin to change until a fighter dies in the UFC. #UFCVegas3
— Ben Kiely (@TheJivemaster) June 20, 2020
Major respect for Max Rohskopf knowing that he was done and telling his corner & the doctor to stop the fight and stop him from taking unnecessary damage.
— “ZackAttack” Zach Johnson (@RadioZT) June 20, 2020
No respect for his corner that was trying to pressure him to continue anyway. LISTEN! TO! YOUR! FIGHTER!#UFCVegas3
wow. I've never seen that before. Max Rohskopf asked his corner to stop the fight around 20 times and they wouldn't do it. I get firing up your fighter when their down but that was difficult to watch. fair play to the doctor and ref for jumping in. #UFCVegas3
— danny (@dannyodwyer) June 20, 2020
NSAC later revealed the corner will be investigated.
"That's something we will take a look at," executive director Bob Bennett told ESPN on Saturday night.
"We might want to take disciplinary action on them. That doesn't sound like they are looking out for a fighter.
"Obviously, he didn't want to come out."
UFC president Dana White also weighed in on the incident, defending Rohskopf's decision.
"In this sport, if you're done, you're done and you should absolutely be able to quit," White said.
"I know it's frowned upon, but anyone talking shit about you quitting, isn't in there fighting.
"It's real easy being a critic.
"He had the balls to come here and fight and take a short-notice fight in the UFC.
"There's no shame in getting here and finding out you're not it. There's no shame in that at all. You gave it a shot and it didn't work out.
"Anybody who would try to ridicule a kid like that, f**k you. Come try it. Come try what he did tonight. Very few people can do it."