UFC Fight Night 38 results: Rony Jason gets quick stoppage of protesting Steven Siler

NATAL, Brazil – A right hand from Rony Jason sent Steven Siler listing off to one side, then a left hand brought him back the other way.

After those rapid changes of direction, Siler didn’t seem to know exactly where he was. The result was a TKO victory for Jason at the 1:17 mark of the first round, though the stoppage was not without some controversy.

The featherweight bout opened up the main card of today’s UFC Fight Night 38 event Ginasio Nelio Dias in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It aired on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

It was a looping right that started things off for Jason after a brief feeling-out period. It caught Siler high on the head and jolted him off to one side, which is precisely when Jason came lunging in with a follow-up left that put Siler down. But as Jason moved in for the finish, Siler seemed to have his wits about him, and was in the process of setting up what looked to be a credible defense off his back.

Referee Wernei Cardoso did not agree, however. He called a stop to it before the action could proceed any further, much to Siler’s dismay. But while Siler was quick to jump to his feet in protest, by that point it was already too late. Jason was midway through his victory celebration by then, and the matter had been officially decided.

“I had an amazing camp,” Jason said. “I made weight and still had some grams to spare. I’m very happy – I feel like everything went perfectly. Last time, I was crying. This time, I’m smiling. That’s how a fighter’s life goes.”

“I’m disappointed because it was an incredibly early stoppage by the ref,” Siler said. “I didn’t even have time to communicate I was OK because he jumped in so fast. I got hit, dropped to my back to take a defensive posture and was throwing an upkick to give me some space. And then, all of the sudden, it was over. I guess it was my fault for getting hit, staying exposed.”

With the win, Jason (14-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) bounces back from the lone loss of his UFC tenure. Siler (23-12 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has now lost two straight.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 38 results include:

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 38, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan contributed to this report on-site in Brazil.