Edgar Chairez and Daniel Lacerda were scheduled to face off at Noche UFC on September 16th, 2023. However, an untimely halt to the fight cast a shadow over what was otherwise an entertaining bout. This match carried significant importance for both fighters, as neither had secured a victory during their tenure in the UFC. Chairez had recently suffered defeat in his promotional debut at UFC 290, while Daniel Lacerda’s record was even bleaker, with no wins in his four previous UFC fights. This bout was undeniably his last opportunity to retain his spot in the promotion.
The initial moments of the fight saw the two fighters engaging in a stand-up battle for the first minute or two. Subsequently, Lacerda opted to take the fight to the ground, successfully executing a takedown. However, Chairez skillfully used the threat of an armbar to regain his footing, swiftly pinning Lacerda against the cage in a clinch. During this sequence, Chairez managed to initiate a standing Anaconda Choke and applied significant pressure in pursuit of a submission victory. Surprisingly, Lacerda indicated to the referee on multiple occasions that he was not in immediate danger.
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Unfortunately, the fight took a dramatic turn when referee Chris Tognoni prematurely stopped the bout, believing that Lacerda had lost consciousness. Lacerda vehemently protested the decision, and it became evident that he had not actually lost consciousness, given his swift response. Considering that the choke had been administered from a standing position, it was likely that he would have fallen to the ground immediately upon the release of the hold.
Footage capturing the moment of the premature stoppage at Noche UFC was posted on the official Twitter account of UFC on TNT Sports.
During the live broadcast of Noche UFC, it was later announced that the victory had been overturned after officials reviewed the replay and confirmed the premature nature of the stoppage. Consequently, the result was officially recorded as a no contest. ESPN MMA also corroborated this development in a post on their official Twitter account.
