Jun 14, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, UNITED STATES; Rodolfo Bellato (blue gloves) reacts during the fight against Paul Craig (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Rodolfo Bellato Finally Breaks Silence After Controversial Illegal Upkick Knockout At UFC Atlanta

Rodolfo Bellato defends himself after critics and fans taunted him for acting and throwing away the fight in hopes of a DQ win!

The sport of MMA has a long history of questionable reactions to fouls, from eye pokes to low blows, with some fighters accused of milking the moment while others genuinely struggle to continue. It’s a delicate balance between protecting fighters and maintaining the integrity of competition.

This debate reached a boiling point at UFC Atlanta when Brazilian fighter Rodolfo Bellato found himself at the center of a social media storm. What should have been a routine preliminary card bout against Paul Craig turned into one of the most talked-about moments of the night, though not for the reasons Bellato would have preferred. The incident happened in the final seconds of the first round, when Craig landed an illegal upkick that caught Bellato flush in the face. The referee immediately stopped the fight, declaring it a no-contest, but the real drama was just beginning.

Bellato had Craig grounded and was working from top position when the Scottish fighter threw an upkick that connected directly with his opponent’s face. The rules are crystal clear about this situation. When a fighter has both knees on the ground, kicks to the head are completely illegal. Craig immediately knew he had messed up, and the referee waved off the fight without hesitation.

Bellato’s reaction to the illegal strike drew immediate skepticism from fans watching around the world. His delayed response and the way he fell to the canvas led many viewers to cry foul, accusing him of acting or exaggerating the impact. Social media exploded with accusations that Bellato was putting on a show. The Brazilian fighter suddenly found himself defending not just his physical condition, but his reputation as a warrior.

Rodolfo Bellato Defends His Performance

After days of online criticism and character assassination, Bellato finally decided to speak up through an Instagram post that revealed the true extent of what he experienced. His explanation painted a very different picture from what critics were suggesting.

“God knows about all things! To everyone cheering for me, I’m in good health and will be back soon. Thank you so much! And I saw some things on the internet, saying I was an actor there and stuff.. the moment I was on the ground, I didn’t expect to get kicked in the face [illegally].. it was a strong kick, when I looked at the judge to complain, my whole body began to tingle and my vision disappeared.. after that i dont remember anything.”

Rodolfo Bellato speaks out following the controversial no-contest last night:

“I didn’t expect to get kicked in the face (illegally)… it was a strong kick, when I looked at the judge to complain, my whole body began to tingle and my vision disappeared.

After that I don’t… pic.twitter.com/I0lav41pMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 15, 2025

The Brazilian’s defense went beyond just explaining his physical reaction. He pointed out the obvious question that his critics seemed to ignore. Why would he fake an injury when he was clearly winning the first round? Bellato had been in control of the fight, working from a dominant position, and had no reason to look for an easy way out. Whether he is telling the truth or not, only he knows. Fans will continue to debate this for quite some time still.

(Image Credit: Brett Davis – Imagn Images)

Paul Craig

Rodolfo Bellato

UFC Atlanta

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!