There was some drama in the world of mixed martial arts Saturday night in Atlantic City, with Chris Weidman’s win over Bruno Silva at UFC on ESPN 54 coming under scrutiny because of the way it ended.
Weidman, who was the +160 underdog, was initially announced the winner by TKO after a flurry of punches in the third round. But after Silva protested for being poked in the eye (there were quite a few eye pokes), the official result was changed from TKO to a win by unanimous decision for Weidman.
Because many online sportsbook house rules say fights are graded based on what’s announced ringside, this change had major implications for bettors with money riding on a Weidman KO or decision. For instance, BetMGM rules say it doesn’t recognize subsequent changes after the official result at ringside is announced. FanDuel doesn’t recognize decisions overturned on appeal either.
Those type of rules caused a ton of confusion among bettors. That’s not to mention the Silva bettors who thought the eye pokes were enough for officials to disqualify Weidman altogether.
