A pair of illegal headbutts led to a disqualification during Saturday’s UFC event.
At UFC Fight Night 241, Piera Rodriguez (9-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) was disqualified at 3:16 of Round 2 after she drilled her head into Ariane Carnelossi (14-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) twice while the two were on the ground.
After she used nearly all of her allotted five recovery minutes, Carnelossi was deemed unable to continue by the cageside physician. Referee Mark Smith qualified the illegal blows as “intentional” and went with a disqualification rather than a “no contest.”
Carnelossi was not present for the reading of the decision as she was escorted into the back with the help of her manager Tiago Okamura, of On The Road Management.
Rodriguez was visibly disappointed with her own actions, and the response by Carnelossi. She even said, “Oh my God. Drama now,” when referee Smith called timeout.
Okamura told MMA Junkie via text that Carnelossi was transported to the hospital for evaluation on her head, nose, and teeth.
Headbuttpic.twitter.com/82ZPWpQszP
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) May 18, 2024
The fight's been called off ❌
Carnelossi has been deemed unable to continue after an illegal strike from Rodriguez. #UFCVegas92 pic.twitter.com/JNtdMsfCth
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) May 18, 2024
Rodriguez has lost back-to-back fights after a 2-0 start to her UFC tenure. Carnelossi moves to 3-1 in her most recent four since she lost her UFC debut.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 241 results include:
- Ariane Carnelossi def. Piera Rodriguez via disqualification (intentional head butt) – Round 2, 3:16
- Heili Alateng def. Kleydson Rodrigues via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Vanessa Demopoulos def. Emily Ducote via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 241.
