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Fans Throw Beer And Popcorn Into Octagon After Eye Poke Ends Rodriguez Vs. Stephens Early At UFC Mexico

Fans Throw Beer And Popcorn Into Octagon After Eye Poke Ends Rodriguez Vs. Stephens Early At UFC Mexico

The main-event clash lasted just 15 seconds.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Fans threw trash at the Octagon following the no-contest between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens at UFC Mexico.

The anticipated main-event clash lasted a mere 15 seconds after Rodriguez poked Stephens in the eye, prompting ugly scenes inside the Mexico City Arena.

The decision to call the fight off angered spectators who launched beer and popcorn at the Octagon, and Stephens as he left the cage.

Speaking after the controversial ending, Stephens said he suffered a deep scratch on his eye.

"Yair, you think I'm faking, bro - you're the one that poked me in the eye. Let's run it back (in) four or five weeks, two weeks, whatever. I'll be ready," he said on social media.

"Let's run it back, motherf*cker."

Rodriguez, on the other hand, says he gives Stephens the "benefit of the doubt" after accidentally poking him in the eye.

"I'm just going to give the benefit of the doubt to Jeremy Stephens. The only one who has to live with the doubt in the mind is him, only him. He's the only one who knows how it feels," he said.

"I've never been poked in the eye in a fight. But I have had a really bad eye. In the Frankie Edgar fight my eye was completely close, I couldn't see nothing, but I was willing to keep on going. But not everybody's the same, I don't know what he was feeling. So the complete benefit of the doubt to Jeremy Stephens. Let's see what happens. It's sad.

"I'm sorry about what happened. It wasn't my intention to poke his eye. Again, all the benefit of the doubt to Jeremy Stephens," he added.

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Topics:Β UFC News, MMA News, Fight News, UFC, MMA

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado, and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Darren Till, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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