VIDEO | Fighter chokes out referee after getting KO’d

When a fighter is badly knocked out, they’re often left in a confused daze for several minutes thereafter. During this daze, they can often be seen challenging the referee stoppage, and at times, even attempting to attack the referee, mistaking them for their opponent in the chaos of it all.

During a recent show promoted by KnockOut Promotions (KOP) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, things went a step further, as a fighter actually attempted to submit the referee – and very nearly succeeded – after being knocked out.

This lightweight fight pitted Joe Nehm against Ryse Brink. Early on in this fight, Brink can be seen battering his foe with a push kick and an onslaught of punches. From there, he’s able to drop his foe, where he’s able to land a few big, unanswered shots, which forced the referee to intervene. But Nehm wasn’t done yet.

Once the referee had stopped the fight, Nehm latched onto him, and instead of letting go when the cobwebs had cleared, proceeded to take the official’s back, and very nearly put him down for a nap. Luckily, Nehm’s cornermen were able to intervene and stop their fighter before he coaxed the poor referee to sleep.

Watch this wild video in full at the top of this post (video via Zane Simon of BloodyElbow.com).

With this unfortunate outcome, Nehm’s record fell to a tough 1-3 overall. This loss marked the first knockout of his career. The victorious Brink, meanwhile, is now 3-1 in sum. No word on the referee’s record, but this sure looks like a loss for him. This fight occurred on KOP’s 54th show.

What do you think of this chaotic moment at KOP 54? What do you think of the referee’s stoppage? Sound off in the comments section, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/22/2017.