The
#UFCVegas21 bout between Eryk Anders and Darren Stewart has
been declared a “No Decision, due to an illegal blow.” pic.twitter.com/aFKWrSwda8— ESPN MMA (@espnmma)
March 14, 2021
For the second week in a row, an illegal knee prematurely ended a
bout on an Ultimate Fighting Championship card.
The stakes were significantly lower on Saturday, when Eryk Anders
landed a knee to the head on a downed Darren
Stewart at UFC Fight Night 187, than they were a week ago when
the bantamweight crown changed hands due to a foul by Petr Yan
against Aljamain
Sterling at UFC 259.
There also appears to be less bad blood involved, as Anders quickly
took to social media to apologize for his transgression after the
bout.
“1,000 apologies to [Darren Stewart]. I know he wanted to keep
going,” Anders wrote. “I made a critical error in the heat of the
moment and it cost us and the fans a barn burner.”
1000 apologies to @Darren_mma.
I know he wanted to keep going. I made a critical error in the heat
of the moment and it cost us and the fans a barn burner.— Eryk
Anders (@erykanders)
March 14, 2021
Anders appeared to be on the verge of securing a clean stoppage
moments earlier, when he became the first person to floor Stewart
in 12 UFC bouts. The former University of Alabama linebacker
pursued the finish with referee Herb Dean
taking a close look, but the illegal knee prompted a pause in the
action. Though Stewart wanted to continue, the cageside doctor
overruled the Brit and the bout was waved off at the 4:37 mark of
Round 1.