The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has been under fire from the MMA community for its decision to withhold $5,000 from Diego Lopes’ purse following his UFC 300 cage jump.
Lopes, who was one of the standout performers at the milestone pay-per-view event in Las Vegas on April 13, extended his UFC win streak to three by knocking out Sodiq Yusuff in just 89 seconds. His victory celebration, however, was deemed excessive by the NSAC.
After the match, Lopes jumped over the cage to greet UFC CEO Dana White and Mark Zuckerberg, which led to the NSAC withholding his fight purse. Despite appearing to have White’s permission for the celebration, the NSAC decided to withhold five percent ($5,000) of Lopes’ $100,000 purse during a hearing on Tuesday.
The MMA community was quick to react to the NSAC’s decision, with many criticizing the commission for penalizing Lopes’ post-fight celebrations. There was also praise for White, who reportedly offered to cover the fine