“Not just the cut, but the overall assessment of the fighter (and) how the fight was going. Once I felt I could not guarantee the health and safety going forward, I had to make a tough call."
My issue is it should be cut and dry. It should play ZERO EMPHASIS on how the fight was going prior to a doctor examining an eye. If Nate Diaz was up three 10-8 rounds but eye was in the same condition, seems like the doctor would have acknowledged "how the fight was going" and let Nate continue. First off, judges absolutely suck and shouldn't be involved in determining an outcome of two other people, but even so, that's the judges job to determine if one fighter established enough momentum to be a decision winner. The doctor's job should be fighter's safety and not take into consideration a fighter's chances of winning if the fight is continued.
What's subjective is a fighter's chances of winning, regardless of how a fight plays out. Could Nate have been damaged worse? Sure. He could have had a leg kick checked and broke his leg, but that's the fight game. Could Nate have mounted a come from behind victory in the 4th and or 55th round? Anderson Silva vs Chael 1, Tim Boetsch vs Yushin Okami, Cheick Kongo vs Pat Barry, Mike Russow vs Todd Barry would all suggest there DEFINITELY WAS A CHANCE.
We are robbed of having certainty and the problem is inconsistency. Nate's teammate Gilbert/Giblert Melendez was in a bloody war against Diego Sanchez and Diego was considerably cut and bleeding worse than Nate, but the fight wasn't stopped. Another difference in that fight is although I had Diego losing, Diego wasn't losing as bad as Nate appeared to be losing to Jorge and perhaps that was the difference in the doctor making the call, and if that was the difference, what an absolute tragedy.
I just want to add I had thought Jorge was going to win but if you asked me who I wanted to win, my answer before and after the fight was/is=I just want there to be a clear and decisive finish so I know who truly is the better fighter out of these two. I am not happy with the result despite the guy I thought would win won.