With Sakara's team planning appeal of UFC 154 DQ, ref Miragliotta explains his decision

Dan Miragliotta contends that most of the shots that hit Patrick Cote just prior to a stoppage against Alessio Sakara were legal blows.

Three weren't, however, and the longtime referee said he issued two verbal warnings before the third blow knocked Cote out and forced his intervention.

"As long as hand makes contact with the ear, it's a legal strike," Miragliotta told MMAjunkie.com. "If you miss the ear and only hit the back of the head, it's illegal."

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I'm glad his manager is doing this, It should be a No Contest clearly. Dan gave no implications that Sakara was hitting the back of the head, until after the fight. Like appeals courts they should look at the job of the ref and Dan simply didn't do enough.

Now let them rematch. I thought Cote was going to run through Sakara, he looked in shape and ready, but Sakara looked great too.

Interesting. I didn't hear, or see Dan warn Sakara. I suppose it was the right call, if he did warn him twice before the fight ended. I'm pretty sure I saw more than 3 illegal blows though.

I didnt have an issue with the call till now.

"As long as hand makes contact with the ear, it's a legal strike," Miragliotta told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If you miss the ear and only hit the back of the head, it's illegal"

I thought it was a "Mohawk" line down then back of your head that was illegal. different refs implement different rules in different ways, which shouldn't happen. Now all a fighter has to do when miragliotta is ref is turn your head.

I feel Dan has opened a can of worns here

I think I counted 8 shots to the back of the head, but I didn't see Big Dan warn him...whatever, he deserves the DQ or NC.