Bryan Battle walked away from UFC Vegas 88 with a no-contest in his record, feeling it deserved to be marked as a victory. This came after an accidental eye poke left Ange Loosa unable to continue the fight.
During the second round of the main event on Saturday, a thumb to Loosa’s eye halted the bout. A medical professional examined Loosa as he tried to regain his vision. At one point, Loosa admitted to the referee that he was unable to see, prompting the official to end the fight.
Following the incident, Battle confronted Loosa, leading to a heated exchange between the two welterweights. Security had to step in to break them apart. Battle later commented on the altercation, suggesting Loosa chose not to continue the fight.
Battle shared his thoughts during the UFC Vegas 88 post-fight show. “I knew the condition I was in for this fight,” he said. “I was aware of the power of my strikes and the quality of my grappling. It’s no surprise to me that someone would seek an escape after experiencing it.”
He continued, “I’ve reached a new level. Anyone in the division who faces this will notice a difference. It’s high-level, top-notch competition. The way he folded and then quit, yet still talked about wanting to fight afterwards, says it all.”
The broadcast replayed the moment Battle’s eye poke stopped Loosa from continuing. However, Battle believes the injury wasn’t as severe as it seemed.
“It wasn’t that serious,” Battle remarked. “It was a minor contact, and he saw it as a chance to exit the fight, so he took it.”
Battle’s frustration was evident in a post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, where he vented his anger towards Loosa.
Having had time to calm down, Battle’s tone softened backstage, though he showed little interest in a rematch.
Battle views the bout with Loosa as a victory and is eager to face ranked opponents in his next UFC fight.
“I doubt he’s interested in a rematch,” Battle stated. “I’m looking ahead. I feel victorious. I believe everyone who saw the fight knows I won. I’m aiming for ranked opponents. I want to make it into the video game. I dominated Ange. It may officially be a no-contest, but anyone who saw it knows the truth.”
“If the UFC wants to arrange a rematch, I’m open to it, but my eyes are set on climbing the rankings,” he concluded.