UFC fans shocked as fighter handed rare punishment that's only been used three times in history

UFC fans have been left shocked after a fighter was handed a rare punishment that has only ever been given out three times previously.

Chinese fighter Taiyilake Neuraji defeated Kiefer Crosbie via first-round knockout at the UFC Shanghai event on Friday night.

The 24-year-old has now extended his UFC record to 12-1 with his sixth consecutive victory.

But there was significant controversy surrounding the end of the match.

Neuraji connected with an illegal knee to the head of Crosbie, with blood visibly pouring from the Irish fighter.

Crosbie was able to get his feet and decided to continue after a short timeout, but was knocked out via elbows from his opponent seconds later.

Neuraji was given a two-point deduction by referee Marc Goddard immediately after the incident, but the knockout rendered that punishment meaningless.

Such a significant deduction has only been handed out on three previous occasions.

Ismail Naurdiev was punished for an illegal knee at UFC Baku in June, while Jon Jones was docked two points in his UFC 235 contest against Anthony Smith for the same offence in March 2019.

And in February 2012, Alex Caceres was punished for repeated groin strikes during UFC 143.

But fans felt, on this occasion, referee Goddard did not go far enough and should have awarded Crosbie the DQ victory.

One wrote: "Marc should not have put this on the fighter. He should've just DQ'ed the offender."

A second said: "Not gonna lie if there was ever a time to take a DQ win, Kiefer Crosbie should've taken it."

A third claimed: "Goddard shouldn't have asked him if he could continue. That was an extremely damaging, obvious illegal strike. Should have been a straight DQ."

And a fourth added: "I've a lot of time for Marc Goddard but he got that badly wrong. If that's not a DQ then I don't know what is."