Brazilian Commission issues statement on Priscila Cachoeira’s brutal loss to Valentina Shevchenko

Over the weekend, Brazilian fighter Priscila Cachoeira experienced a brutal beatdown at the hands of Valentina Shevchenko, absorbing a brain-rattling 230 strikes en route to a second-round submission loss.

In the wake of this lopsided and bloody contest, many fans, pundits and UFC personalities have argued that referee Mario Yamasaki should have stopped the fight far earlier than he did.

In a statement to MMAJunkie and MMAFighting, Yamasaki explained his reluctance to stop the fight.

 “During the second round, I signaled to ‘Pedrita’ that if she didn’t move I’d stop the fight, and every time I’d stop, I told her and she moved to try to escape from the punches,” the statement explained. “Unfortunately, I also can’t control the number of blows thrown — again, when a fighter is trying to come back she’s game.

“Fighters go through times of hard effort and dedication to be there. MMA is a contact sport and no fighter likes his fight to be stopped with no chance to revert the result. In my opinion, I allowed Pedrita to be a warrior and keep fighting. I could have stopped the fight in the second crucifix or in the mount, but she moved the whole time.

“I also recognize that I should have stopped when she tapped the first time to the rear-naked choke. I only stopped a few seconds later. About other people’s opinions, it’s their right to say.”

Apparently, however, Yamasaki’s explanation doesn’t hold water with CABMMA, the Brazilian Mixed Martial Arts Commission.

In a statement, the commission explained that a fighter’s perceived toughness should have no bearing on a referee’s decision, and that referees should instead be focused on a fighter’s health and safety.

“Priscila Cachoeira demonstrated toughness and heart during the two rounds but those are two attitudes that should not interfere or confuse the referee when it comes to stoppages,” CABMMA said in its statement, which was released to BloodyElbow.

“In the first round, in the last couple of minutes, it was clear that Priscila could not defend herself efficiently nor technically. Round 2 was the same, but obviously with Priscila not physically recovered enough from the previous round to demonstrate her chance against Valentina, the fight should have been called off right in the initial moments.

“The fight was approved by CABMMA,” the statement read. “If it was not well matched and that being evidently demonstrated during the fight, it should have been identified by the referee in charge, as he is the highest authority in that moment, whose role is to protect the fighter at all times including stopping the fight at the proper moment.

“We will discuss the next steps together and decide what is certainly best for all parts involved in the process.”

What did you think of Priscila Cachoeira’s loss to Valentina Shevchenko, and Mario Yamasaki’s officiating?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 2/6/2018.