UFC fighter hit with illegal kick, continues after appearing KO'd

Bizarreness in the UFC cage is nothing new, but the latest iteration of wackiness stirred up all sorts of controversy Saturday on the UFC Fight Night 272 prelims. During a flyweight prelim at Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Dione Barbosa wound up and booted a downed Melissa Gatto in the upper chest/neck area early in Round 2. The principle point of contract was a bit unclear, but referee Chris Tognoni immediately called timeout as Gatto (9-3-2 MMA, 3-3 UFC) flopped backward to the canvas and laid flat.

There was discussion amongst Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) officials, as Gatto tried to regain herself, up against the five-minute recovery clock. Ultimately, it was decided a point deduction was proper. Barbosa (9-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) went on to win a majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28) Dione Barbosa lands a SUPER illegal soccer kick and has a point deducted and STILL WINS the fight 😳 Should this have been a DQ⁉️ #UFCVegas115 pic.

twitter. com/58eWv0QZEu — Combat Casuals (@Combat_Casuals) April 4, 2026 The decision-making to let the fight continue was highly debated on social media with many users thinking the bout should not have continued, as Gatto presented as if she was knocked out. Others said the kick landed in the chest.

Gatto was not immediately available for comment, as a member of her team told MMA Junkie she was transported to a local hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation. For Barbosa, the win bounced her back from an August loss to Karine Silva. For Gatto, she falls to 1-3 in her most recent four.