Jon Anik open to knockdown rule in MMA after Steven Nguyen-Mohammed Yahya controversy: ‘It does exist for a reason’

UFC commentator Jon Anik is open to the idea of a knockdown rule in MMA after watching the Steven Nguyen-Mohammed Yahya fight.

Nguyen took on Yahya on the prelims of UFC Abu Dhabi at featherweight. Nguyen dropped Yahya five times in the first round and got another knockdown in the second round for six total, before the doctor stopped it at the end of the second round. However, many fans wanted the fight to be stopped sooner, and Jon Anik agrees, as he believes that the fight could have been stopped early in the first round.

“I felt like the fight should’ve been stopped. Paul Felder said toward the end of Round 2, ‘This fight is not going to continue, right? Because a physician is going to get involved here.’ Bisping first called for a potential stoppage because of all the knockdowns at the two-and-a-half-minute mark of Round 1,” Anik said on Anik & Florian Podcast. “I do believe, because we’re not assessing concussive damage live in the moment. But, after a myriad of knockdowns, I’m not saying there should be a knockdown rule in mixed martial arts. But it does exist for a reason. After six or even of these f*****g things we can stop the fight.”

In total, Yahya absorbed 108 strikes and was knocked down six times, which Jon Anik believes shouldn’t have happened.

Jon Anik believes Jason Herzog or the corner should’ve stopped the fight

Ultimately, Jon Anik thinks the fight should have been stopped way sooner.

Anik believes the blame is on the ref, Jason Herzog, as well as Muhammed Yahya’s corner.

“What are we doing in the form of fighter safety? Maybe I should call my friend Jason Herzog, who I really do love and be like, ‘Hey Jason, it’s Jon,” Anik said. “Do me a favor and just stop the fight?’… Plenty (of blame on the corner). And it’s probably shame on me for not acknowledging their culpability in all of this. I don’t know. I watched it and I don’t know if I’m being particularly reactionary, but it was not good.”

The fight ended up being stopped at the end of the second round. Yahya is now 0-3 in the UFC.