Saturday night’s UFC Vancouver card delivered fireworks inside Rogers Arena, but few could have predicted the bizarre sequence that unfolded within the closing moments of the primary round between Canada’s own Kyle Nelson and Recent York’s Matt Frevola. What began as a fierce lightweight contest devolved into one of the vital controversial moments of the 12 months, with referee Dan Miragliotta’s actions igniting a firestorm of debate amongst fighters, fans, and analysts.
Dan Miragliotta clearly waves the fight off with 3 seconds left in Round 1. Kyle Nelson should’ve been credited with a TKO victory. After this the fight continued and Frevola was cornered in a neutral corner as an alternative of the blue corner. WILD. #UFCVancouver pic.twitter.com/T1ANgxcgZj
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) October 18, 2025
With just three seconds to go in Round 1, Nelson hurt Frevola with a robust combination that sent “The Steamrolla” reeling to the canvas. Nelson rushed in for the finish, landing devastating ground and pound, and Miragliotta moved in, appearing to wave off the competition with a decisive motion with three seconds left within the round. Cameras even caught some cornermen starting to step onto the apron, anticipating a stoppage.
But confusion quickly set in. As a substitute of ending the fight and crediting Nelson with a first-round TKO, Miragliotta signaled for the motion to pause. The horn sounded seconds later, and after a temporary medical check, Frevola was ushered to a neutral corner moderately than his usual blue corner—a break from standard MMA protocol. Despite the visible confusion among the many teams, officials, and the ringside crew, the bout was allowed to proceed into the second round.
Blurred Boundaries and Competing Perspectives
Within the immediate aftermath, social media erupted with debate over what had transpired. Observers and commentators widely agreed that Miragliotta’s initial wave was a transparent indication of a fight-ending stoppage. Typically, when a referee steps in and motions to halt the bout, that signals the immediate conclusion for the affected fighter, especially with the degree of harm Frevola had just absorbed.
It’s SHOCKING how bad MMA Referees are
Imagine one other sport with weekly fuck ups that seriously alter the trajectory of fights, and the cash these athletes get 🤦🏼♂️
Garbage quality nowadays 🗑️ pic.twitter.com/gLGvAPTwZV
— Ben Davis (@BenTheBaneDavis) October 18, 2025
Nelson himself looked momentarily perplexed, raising his hands in celebration before being told by officials to carry off. Frevola, meanwhile, remained disoriented but resilient. The chaos was compounded by the relocation of each fighters to a neutral corner between rounds, further muddying the waters of the sequence.
Within the hours after the event, much of the controversy centered around protocol. By rule, when a referee steps in and stops the motion—even when mistakenly—the combatant is to be awarded a victory if the stoppage was attributable to perceived inability to proceed. Given the clarity of Miragliotta’s motion and the absence of any clear indication the round had ended, the expectation was that Nelson would have his hand raised within the moment. As a substitute, the competition resumed after a temporary doctor’s check, raising eyebrows throughout the MMA world.
“I believed it was over.” 🇨🇦 Kyle Nelson reacts to the Round 1 controversy following his win over Matt Frevola #UFCVancouver @aaronbronsteter pic.twitter.com/UDfSyQoQKX
— Dan Fernandes (@DanFernandes__) October 19, 2025
Matt Frevola’s Take On The Controversy
Matt Frevola addressed the situation on social media, revealing just how chaotic things felt contained in the octagon.
Regarding my fight last night…..
I had no idea there was an enormous controversy until I got back to the hotel.
I never thought the fight was stopped at any point, but was confused when the doctor got here to have a look at me after the primary ended.
After rewatching, it looked like a transparent… pic.twitter.com/Mgmtv83ruY
— Matt “The Steamrolla”Frevola (@SteamRollaa) October 19, 2025
“I had no idea there was an enormous controversy until I got back to the hotel,” the veteran lightweight wrote. “I never thought the fight was stopped at any point, but was confused when the doctor got here to have a look at me after the primary [round] ended.”
Frevola, all the time the consummate competitor, continued, “After rewatching, it looked like a transparent mistake by the ref in considering the round had ended, but not a mistake to let me keep going. Possibly that’s the fighter in me, but I’m glad I got to maintain fighting & even take round 2 in among the judges eyes.”
His comments make clear the mentality of a fighter caught within the fray—focused on survival, less aware of controversy, and fiercely determined to compete so long as possible. Even so, observers at home and at cageside were left to wonder how such a critical misstep could occur on a high-profile UFC card.
The Path to Nelson’s Victory
Despite the confusion, the fight pressed on. Frevola looked as if it would recuperate within the second frame, finding moments of success and even swinging among the momentum back his way, as he noted some scorecards gave him the round. But Nelson’s early dominance, coupled along with his composure within the face of mayhem, proved decisive. He continued to press his benefits within the later rounds, mixing striking with clinch work and never allowing Frevola to completely regain his rhythm.
When the ultimate horn sounded, each fighters awaited the decision with a way of uncertainty still hanging within the air. The judges awarded Nelson the unanimous decision win—an end result which, while not without merit based on his overall performance, will without end be tinted by the strange events at the tip of Round 1.
For Nelson, victory in Vancouver must have been the largest moment of his UFC tenure—a highlight-reel TKO over a respected foe in front of a partisan Canadian crowd. As a substitute, it comes intertwined with questions on process and fairness, leaving fans to wonder what number of more memorable fights shall be marked by similar confusion if changes aren’t made.
Because the dust settles, each fighters showed professionalism within the chaos—Nelson along with his focus under pressure, Frevola along with his admirable grit and candor. Yet, this wild night in Vancouver shall be remembered less for its competitive spirit and more for the controversy that made the end result anything but straightforward.