Marcos Galvao became the fourth Bellator bantamweight champion in the history of the promotion on Friday night in Oklahoma as he defeated Joe Warren by verbal submission in the second round.
During the opening round, Warren looked to take the fight to the ground and was credited with three takedowns. Galvao was able to get the fight back to the fight after all of those takedowns and Warren took the opening round.
In what would end up being the final round, the fighters would have a scramble on the mat and Galvao would end up locking up a knee bar. Warren would end up screaming and referee John McCarthy called the fight due to the verbal tap.
Do current Bellator fighters agree with the stoppage? Check out how some of them responded to the stoppage on Twitter below.
Scream is a tap! Nice sub by @MarcosGalvaoMMA!!! Parabéns campeão! @BellatorMMA
— Douglas Lima (@PhenomLima) March 28, 2015
You can't scream that loud in pain and make a face like that and expect Big John not to stop it. #Bellator135
— MIKE RICHMAN (@MikeUSMCRichman) March 28, 2015
Well that escalated fast…technically it's a rule but nobody is tougher than Joe Warren.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) March 28, 2015
I've had several different refs say before the fight in the locker room if you yell out they will stop the fight #Bellator135
— Will Brooks (@illwillbrooks86) March 28, 2015
I've been told in almost every fight I've been in before hand that a loud scream in pain during a submission is a verbal tap #Bellator135
— MIKE RICHMAN (@MikeUSMCRichman) March 28, 2015
Kneebars=no joke. Warren lost but it's better than being out a year. Ill never forget the feeling of almost having my leg break #Bellator135
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) March 28, 2015