UFC
UFC QUOTABLES: Brock Lesnar discusses referee Josh Rosenthal's pre-fight instructions keeping him moving at UFC 116
Jul 6, 2010 - 3:30:50 PM UFC QUOTABLES: Brock Lesnar discusses referee Josh Rosenthal's pre-fight instructions keeping him moving at UFC 116

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"[Josh Rosenthal] was communicating with us. Before the fight he comes into the locker room and he says 'listen fellas if things get ugly out there I’m gonna give you three warnings before I stop the fight. I’m gonna be very verbal in this so you gotta show some movement and show you’re still in the fight.' I knew in my mind there was a time I thought you know what? It’s raining punches here and I don’t know where to go. If I move I’m gonna create an opening but I have to move to stay in the fight. You gotta do what you gotta do you know?"

-UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar talks to his friends at the Power Trip Morning Show on KFAN in Minneapolis about referee Josh Rosenthal's job at UFC 116. (Quote transcribed by SportsRadioInterviews.com)

Penick's Analysis: A vocal group has come out saying Rosenthal should have stopped the fight, but it's clear with what he said to the fighters before the fight that with the stakes as high as they were, he was going to give both of them as much opportunity as possible to stay in the fight. He did a great job, Lesnar hung in there, got back to his feet before the round ended with a very nice escape and finished the fight as the fresher fighter in the second round. It was a great night of fights and a great job by Rosenthal. With how much is said about poor officiating recently, a referee doing their job correctly is a nice change of pace on a major event.

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