Jack Marshman’s outrageous win streak has come to an end.
The Welsh middleweight failed to record his eighth consecutive victory as he fell victim to a stunning spinning heel kick from Thiago Santos on the prelims of UFC Halifax on Sunday night.
Three months after his memorable knockout of Magnus Cedenblad in Belfast, Marshman hit the deck under the weight of an arcing kick from his Brazilian opponent.
The unsighted Marshman stumbled backwards and appeared to be defending himself from Santos but referee Brad Jardine had seen enough after a frantic ground exchange and waved the bout off, condemning Marshman to his first defeat since 2014.
WOW! Wicked spinning heel kick landed by Thiago Santos enroute to the finish over Jack Marshman. JEEEZ. #UFCHalifax pic.twitter.com/PkgoAj7YCj
— Ahmar Khan (@AhmarSKhan) February 20, 2017
Plenty of fight fans online suggested that the stoppage was premature, given that it seemed like Marshman was trying to hold off Santos’ ground-and-pound before Jardine called a halt to proceedings.
After his fight Marshman was nothing but classy as he admitted that, although he felt that he should have been given more time, it was his fault for allowing Santos’ kick to land.
“He caught me with a great kick that dropped me and I put my hands down to stop me hitting the floor,” the Gwent man told BBC Wales.
“He jumped on top, none of the shots he threw landed. I’m disappointed with the stoppage but I will not bitch about it. He landed a great kick and it was my fault for getting caught with that kick. rather than the referee’s stoppage.
"I'm disappointed with the stoppage but it's my fault for getting hit with the kick"
We spoke to Jack Marshman after his #UFCHalifax defeat pic.twitter.com/P8aovHYxlN
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) February 20, 2017
“He’s there for our safety but, in reality, I don’t think I was out.
“I dropped him in the first round. He dropped me in the second round. Neither of us was out.
“If I was starched out on the floor, I’d accept it but, like I said, I’m not going to cry about it. It’s the fight game. It’s what happens.”
