Osmanli Calls Rival a 'Clown' After TUF 34 Final Ends in Disqualification
Mehemmedali Osmanli accused Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu of exaggerating the damage from an illegal knee that led to a disqualification loss in the 'TUF 34' bantamweight final.
· VILLAND PICK editorial
The bitter rivalry between Mehemmedali Osmanli and Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu remains far from settled following a controversial conclusion to the bantamweight final of "The Ultimate Fighter 34" on Sept. 26 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
Bad blood between the two fighters had developed during their time as teammates on Michael Bisping's squad in the TUF house, finally coming to a head at UFC Vegas 121. However, the anticipated clash ended abruptly less than halfway through the first round when Osmanli landed an illegal knee on a grounded Akylbek Uulu. With the Kyrgyz fighter unable to continue, referee intervention led to Osmanli being disqualified and Akylbek Uulu declared the winner.
Following the bout, Osmanli took to Instagram Live to voice his frustration and accused his rival of exaggerating the impact of the foul. According to Osmanli, Akylbek Uulu initially grabbed his leg after absorbing the strike and only dramatized his condition once the referee intervened to pause the contest.
"He’s fake," Osmanli said during the broadcast. "When referee stopped, he [put on a] show, like a clown."
The disqualification marked the second defeat of Osmanli's professional career and brought an end to his nine-fight unbeaten streak.
Sources
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