On a slow Sunday, we’ll often loosen the strict criteria we normally use to separate the wheat from the chaff. A short list of some of the “freakish” things that will often make their way to the site once we’ve lowered our usually-high standards: Kim Couture getting beat up; video of a rarely seen submission; a failure of referring so severe that it would make we’ve seen this choke in MMA, it still seems more at home in a professional wrestling match. Perhaps also feeling nostalgic for the WWF’s heyday, the official for this bout–Len Cloivisto–does his best impression of a pro wrestling referee.
That glazed over look in Kim’s eyes did nothing to draw to his attention that she was out, nor did her right leg sliding to the mat as conscious control of her muscles slowly gave way to the forces of gravity. He was given another chance as her left leg followed suit, but again Couture was guilty of subtly drifting off into the dream world instead of desperately reaching out to the heavens toward a god that would not save her. Still uncertain if she was finished, he employs the widely accepted “sleeper hold” test, raising Couture’s arm thrice to see if it drops. Apparently, the crowd did not cheer for her loudly enough, as she was unable to rally back on the third arm-lift, and he finally, mercifully called a halt to the fight more than ten seconds after “Sugar Free” had gone limp. Kim was said to have convulsed in the ring and it took more than a minute for her to regain consciousness. This is some of the most inept and dangerous refereeing I recall in quite some time and if Cloivisto is not removed from duty I hope that he is at the very least censured and retrained. It looked like Couture was no worse for wear when she eventually came to, but no fighter should have to step in the ring worried that they won’t be protected should they not be able to protect themselves.
I think they call that move the Muff Lock.