MMA (Photo : REUTERS/RICARDO MORAES)
Mixed martial arts referee Leon Roberts choked an MMA fighter since he will not let go of his opponent, Carbonated TV reported.
The fight was in UK between Nathias Frederick and Ahmad Aswad. During the first round, Frederick gave Aswad a powerful hook that landed the latter on the floor. It was evident that Aswad lost since he was knocked out by Frederick.
To the surprise of Roberts and the viewers, Frederick lunged into Aswad despite the fact that he was already strewn on the floor. Frederick kept on hitting Aswad while Roberts tried to stop him but to no avail. Finally, the referee choked Frederick tightly and the fighter released Aswad from his arms.
The commentator during the event announced that it is the "slickest back take I have ever seen from an official." The commentator's partner added that for those people who claim that referees do not have training, they just need to watch Robert.
After Frederick broke away from his opponent, the fighters were given a few seconds to catch their breath and clear their heads. The two refused to be interviewed but their friendly hug before Frederick was announced as a winner clearly showed that there was no bad blood.
Reports say that Frederick was just carried away by the intensity of the fight that is why he attacked Aswad although it was already unnecessary. It was a good thing that Roberts was there to intervene and look out for everyone's safety, according to Bleacher Report.
Roberts is a skilled referee but he is also known as a nice person to his co-workers. Some people from Ultimate Fighting Championship who worked and travelled with him, described the referee as a "gentle giant." Despite his nice attitude, Roberts cannot be underestimated since he knows how to get the job done.
Other than that, Roberts is also a cancer survivor. In 2012, the referee was diagnosed with testicular cancer but he recovered due to the proper treatment and never ending support of family and friends.
As of this time, Roberts relaxes from his tough job by hanging out with his children and close friends. Roberts said that his goal is to be the best referee he can ever be by "taking care of the fighters" and promoting the sport.
