MMA fighter Spike Carlyle learned the hard way at UFC Apex in Las Vegas to never turn your back on an opponent.
‘The Alpha Ginger’ was in a dominant position over his downed opponent Billy Quarantillo before smoothly walking away, thinking that the bell signalling the end of the round had rung... sadly, however, he was wrong.
Carlyle decided to get up and walk back to his corner with just seconds remaining in the round. He foolishly turns his back on Quarantillo before getting caught sweet with a swinging left arm, dropping to the ground in a heap in the process.
Quarantillo decided to take the unusual opportunity to strike at Carlyle, although both men seemed bewildered at the sequence of events that had just transpired.
Carlyle himself seemed to realise what he had done the moment he fell to the canvas, as can be seen from his facial expression.
Quarantillo, on the other hand, is a different story. Only he knows whether it was an intentional decision to take the shot or whether he, indeed, was none the wiser.
The commentators certainly found it to be somewhat of a laughing matter as can be heard from their voice breaks and trying to hold in their disbelief.
Fans are in disagreement over whether or not Quarantillo should have took the shot or let his opponent realise his mistake.
The catchweight bout continued after this fiasco as the pair went on to compete for another two solid rounds before the judges came to a unanimous decision to award Quarantillo the victory.
It seems if one lesson has been taught from this, it’s never take your eyes off of your opponent, ever.
Rule number one after all is to keep playing until the whistle, so in this instance, it was keep fighting until the bell.