UFC Vegas 122 controversy erupts as Marc Goddard penalises Christian Leroy Duncan for eye poke against Brendan Allen UFC fans praised referee Marc Goddard after he deducted a point from Christian Leroy Duncan for an eye poke during the UFC Vegas 122 main event against Brendan Allen. The decision came early in the second round after Allen had complained about Duncan keeping his fingers open near his eyes. Goddard had warned Duncan before taking the point, and fans applauded the referee for enforcing the rules. Allen eventually won the middleweight fight by rear-naked choke at 2:46 of the fifth round.
Marc Goddard’s Point Deduction Against Christian Leroy Duncan Draws Praise
The fight started with both middleweights looking to establish their striking. However, Allen became concerned about Duncan’s open fingers and raised the issue with Goddard. The referee warned Duncan, but an eye poke early in the second round led to a point deduction.The decision gave Allen an important advantage in a closely contested fight. Duncan responded by increasing his striking output, landing some hard shots in the following rounds. Allen, however, continued to use his grappling to slow Duncan down and create chances to take control.In the final round, Allen secured a takedown and worked his way to Duncan’s back. He then locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing Duncan to submit with 2:14 remaining in the fight. The win extended Allen’s winning streak to four fights.Fans quickly shared their reactions to Goddard’s decision on X. One viewer wrote, “Marc Goddard takes 1 point from Christian Leroy Duncan for an eye poke. I don’t mind it. Fighters need to close their fingers. #UFCVegas122.”Another fan supported the referee’s approach, writing, “He had not poked Allen prior to this, but received a soft warning at the start of the round for having his fingers near Allen’s eyes. THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE!!!!”However, not everyone agreed that the same penalty should automatically follow every foul. One user questioned whether the decision would create an expectation for referees to deduct a point for a first offense in every fight.
Francisco Prado’s UFC 327 Eye Poke Also Led to a Point Deduction
This was not the first time Goddard had taken a point from a fighter for an eye poke in 2026. During UFC 327 on April 11, he penalized Francisco Prado for poking Charles Radtke in the eye during their welterweight bout.The foul occurred in the third round and briefly stopped the fight while Radtke recovered. Goddard deducted a point from Prado, who eventually lost by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the contest 30–26 for Radtke.The two incidents have brought renewed attention to how referees handle eye pokes in the UFC. Open fingers can put opponents at risk, and a warning does not always prevent another foul. Goddard’s decisions in both fights have prompted fans to discuss whether stricter enforcement should become more common.Still, each incident has its own circumstances, and referees must judge the severity of a foul and the situation in front of them. In the Allen-Duncan fight, Goddard’s point deduction was one important moment in a contest that ultimately ended with Allen securing a fifth-round submission.Marc Goddard drew praise from UFC fans after deducting a point from Christian Leroy Duncan for an eye poke against Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 122. Allen later won by rear-naked choke in the fifth round. Fans also compared the decision with Goddard’s point deduction against Francisco Prado at UFC 327, renewing debate over how referees should handle eye pokes.