Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato was supposed to end the UFC Atlanta prelims with a bang. It did, but not in the way anyone expected. Craig, on his back, launched an upkick just as Bellato dropped into his guard. The result? Bellato flew backward, dazed, and referee Kevin MacDonald waved it off. But when the replay aired, things got messy. Bellato’s knee was clearly down.
As such, veteran MMA journalist and betting analyst Adam Martin posted on X, “Referee Kevin MacDonald was the ref in a PFL fight last month where Antonio Carlos Jr. illegally kneed Karl Moore and he didn’t take the point despite it being a clear foul. This ref doesn’t want to get involved in fights. He’s not doing his job properly. #UFCAtlanta”.
Referee Kevin MacDonald didn’t call for a disqualification. Instead, he labeled the kick as “accidental” and ended the bout at 4:59 of round one. But the replay told another story. Some claimed Bellato looked straight at the ref before his eyes shut, and he collapsed. Was he really out cold, or playing it up to force a result? It remains to be seen.
Referee Kevin MacDonald was the ref in a PFL fight last month where Antonio Carlos Jr. illegally kneed Karl Moore and he didn’t take the point despite it being a clear foul.
This ref doesn’t want to get involved in fights. He’s not doing his job properly. #UFCAtlanta
— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) June 15, 2025
So, where does this leave us? Paul Craig doesn’t get the win. Bellato doesn’t get the loss. But the man at the center of it all, referee Kevin MacDonald, is facing more heat than either fighter.
(More to follow…)
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