Kyle Daukaus claimed victory over Jamie Pickett in their middleweight bout at UFC Vegas 48.
The fighter from Philadelphia defeated his compatriot via a stunning submission, with just a second left in the first round.
Despite Daukaus having Pickett pinned in a D’arce choke, it looked like time in the round was about to expire. However, Pickett tapped his opponent’s leg, bringing the bout to a premature end.
This defeat brings Pickett’s two-fight win streak to an end. Meanwhile, Daukaus added an eighth submission win to his resume, taking his overall record to 10-2.
Pickett’s decision to tap out in the dying embers of the first round left many viewers perplexed. After all, he could have regrouped and carried on into round two if he had just held out for one more second.
However, his panic was justified after Pickett gave a scary explanation behind his decision to tap out.
Explanation for the last-second tap
In a post to social media, Pickett explained his situation. The middleweight revealed that his tongue was caught between his teeth, and that he was at risk of biting it off.
“No excuse from me,” started the fighter. “I did my best for the time I had and [the fight] didn’t go my way.
“Tongue got caught between my teeth. I felt like I was going to cut it off so I tapped.”
A terrifying and truly grim situation to be in.
Respect to Jamie Pickett
The decision to tap by Pickett, while initially criticised, must surely make sense now to UFC fans and pundits. In a sport known for toughness and brutal injuries, we must applaud the decision of this fighter to put his own health above all else.
It was an impossible situation for Pickett, who ultimately had to decide between losing a fight and keeping his tongue intact.
Given the circumstances, anyone would have made the same choice.