Juliana Velasquez wants the results of Friday’s main event title fight against Liz Carmouche to be overturned.
At Bellator 278, Velasquez (12-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) fell to Carmouche (17-7 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the fourth round, dropping her flyweight title and recording the first loss of her professional fighting career.
Carmouche had Velasquez pinned to the canvas in a crucifix position, landing repeated elbows to the head, which prompted referee Mike Beltran to stop the fight. Velasquez was unable to defend herself because both of her arms were trapped. The stoppage was a controversial one, as Velasquez and her team, along with many on social media thought the stoppage was premature.
“What an odd night!!” Velasquez wrote on Instagram. “I dominated the fight, I dropped her twice on her ass, judges had me up 3-0 and the fight is stopped just like that? She didn’t even put a scratch on my face! I have no idea what the referee saw, but this was a total bullsh*t! Come on!!! I am disgusted! @therealscottcoker @bellatormma let’s run it back. And I want this result overturned.”
Velasquez was winning the fight on all three judges’ scorecards before the stoppage occurred. Two of the official judges scored the first three rounds in her favor, while the other scored two of the three for the now-former champion.
#Bellator278 Official Result: Liz @iamgirlrilla Carmouche (17-7) defeated Juliana Velasquez (12-1) via KO (elbows) at 4:47 of round four to become the new @BellatorMMA Flyweight World Champion pic.twitter.com/7detK3n7b1
— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) April 23, 2022
After the fight, Carmouche told MMA Junkie and other reporters that she felt the fourth-round stoppage by Beltran was justified.
“I think he stepped in at the right time,” Carmouche said during the post-fight news conference. “I think if he let it continue, it could’ve been a broken orbital. It could’ve been her going unconscious. I think when he stepped in, it was the right thing to do to protect the fighter.”
Carmouche also said she would not be interested in an immediate rematch and would prefer to face a new opponent for her first title defense.