UFC 252: Marc Goddard sorry for missing Stipe Miocic eye poke on Daniel Cormier
- Veteran referee reveals he apologised to Cormier after heavyweight title trilogy loss, but says ‘I can’t call what I don’t see’
- UFC president Dana White says eye poke ‘can’t be used as an excuse’ for Cormier’s defeat in final fight of career
Stipe Miocic walked away with the heavyweight title and the trilogy, but Daniel Cormier was left complaining he couldn’t see out of his left eye for the final two rounds of UFC 252’s main event.
Referee Marc Goddard initially dismissed Cormier’s (22-3, one no contest) complaints, despite a visibly swollen eye with replays confirming Miocic (20-3) had indeed shoved his finger in it.
But the veteran official put out an apology on social media after Saturday night’s fight, which was seemingly the last of 41-year-old Cormier’s career.
“Immediately after the fight when seeing the replay I apologised to Daniel Cormier and his team and I do so publicly and unreservedly for missing what I shouldn’t have – but I cannot call what I do not see,” Goddard wrote in a Twitter post. “I don’t have replays and multiple angles, it’s a one-shot take in real time.”
“I practise what I preach and as a man I stand tall and head on,” he added. “If you accept plaudits then you must with mistakes too, that’s proof that you are listening, honest and implore improvement. Rough with the smooth, acceptance and ownership.”