Slice and Thompson Were At Their Ends, Smith Said, "I can't see!"

New Jersey State Athletic Control Board Counsel Nick Lembo told Fighters.com Monday that “Hands of Stone” Scott Smith(13-4) told two Control Board, cageside doctors he couldn’t see after absorbing a thumb in his eye from Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked middleweight “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) in an EliteXC title fight in Newark, outside of New York City, Saturday night.

The exciting stand-up war was stopped by doctors at 3:26 of round three for a no contest.

“I can’t see,” Smith told Dr. Angela Gagliardi, the first doctor in the cage, according to Lembo.

Lembo wanted a second opinion and, after 30-seconds or so, called on veteran fight doctor Sherry Wulkan.  “I told her, ‘This is a title fight,’” Lembo stressed.

According to Lembo, Wulkan asked Smith, “What’s wrong?”

Smith told the second doctor, “I can’t see!”

“You took a finger in the eye,” Wulkan explained.  “What do you mean you can’t see?  Is your vision blurry?  Dark?”

Smith repeated, “I can’t see.”

Wulkan asked, “Is it getting better?”

Smith told Wulkan his vision was not improving.  By that time, it had been a full minute since Lawler’s thumb poked Smith’s eye.

Wulkan told Lembo, “His vision isn’t getting better and he has a broken foot…”

Both Wulkan and Lembo had seen Smith break his foot in a kick blocked by Lawler’s elbow.

Wulkan explained to Lembo, “I tried to give him an out.”  If Smith had told Wulkan his vision was improving, Smith would’ve been given more time to recover.

Lembo emphasized Monday, “You’re not guaranteed five minutes [for being poked in the eye].  You get up to five minutes.  You can’t keep telling doctors you can’t see and your vision isn’t improving.  Fighters know what to say [if they want to keep fighting.]“  Lembo added, “Scott is a warrior.”

Smith was paid his win bonus by EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw in honor of the valiant performance.

Lembo assured Fighters.com that the officiating for MMA’s national prime time debut wasn’t interfered with by CBS or EliteXC executives.

“I chose [referee] Dan [Miragliotta] for the main event because I think he’s the best in the business,” Lembo said.

Saturday night’s main event, refereed by Miragliotta, was the most controversial stoppage.

EliteXC’s biggest name “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-0) stopped “Colossus” James Thompson (14-9) by TKO at :38 of round three after Slice stung Thompson with a combo that popped Thompson’s cauliflowered ear causing blood to trickle down.

“The ear wasn’t even why it was stopped,” Lembo said.  “Dan told me at the end of round two that both fighters were at their ends.”

Miragliotta was prepared to stop that fight in round three if either fighter put together a barrage; and, Slice did.

Miragliotta has since been dubbed “Mr. Fix-it” by some MMA media, frustrating Lembo.

“If Dan were trying to let Kimbo win, he let it go awfully long, didn’t he?”  Lembo asked.

Lembo broached the subject of round two’s finish with Thompson in half-mount striking Slice at the cage.

“I suggest those elbows couldn’t have cracked an egg.  It was right in front of me and I looked up at Dan and said, ‘Those strikes aren’t doing much damage.’  He nodded in agreement,” Lembo said.

“If either fight was stopped too early, I’ll take that criticism.  I’d rather have a fight stopped one punch too early than one punch too late,” Lembo stated.