Ilimbek Akylbek won The Ultimate Fighter 34 men’s bantamweight final by disqualification after Osmanli hit him with a running knee while he was grounded. The referee stopped the bout 2:19 into round one; Osmanli later accused him of faking being knocked out.
Slow-motion replay showed Akylbek grabbing Osmanli’s leg and fighting for position before the referee intervened; he then appeared dazed and remained out of it as his team helped him. The article notes that his grappling reaction does not prove he was faking.
The controversial finish drew a strong reaction among fans in Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. Rafael Fiziev, who has roots in both countries, called for unity and urged people not to fight among themselves.
