White: Herman-Rodriguez referee blunder 'most disgusting thing' I've seen

Saturday's largely successful UFC Fight Night didn't end without some controversy.

Referee Chris Tognoni paused the action for a supposed low blow after Mike Rodriguez crumpled Ed Herman with a knee to the body in the second round of their light heavyweight clash.

Herman, who's fought in 39 pro bouts, seemed to act as if Rodriguez did hit him in the groin and used the majority of his five minutes of recovery time.

Herman made it out of the second round once action resumed and went on to submit Rodriguez in the third with a kimura. It was an impressive comeback, but one that many people within the MMA community believe should have never happened.

"That's the most disgusting thing that I've ever seen," UFC president Dana White said of Tognoni's decision to halt the fight for a low blow.

"Listen, if the referee is that stupid that he didn't see that wasn't a low blow, Ed Herman's job is to get in there and win a fight, and he did what he had to do," White added. "It's one of the most disgusting, bad calls that I've ever seen in my life. (Rodriguez) finished Ed Herman tonight and then loses the fight."

Rodriguez's manager, Tyson Chartier, implied on social media after the fight that they will file an appeal with the Nevada State Athletic Commission in hopes of overturning the result.

Rodriguez has not yet spoken publicly about the controversial ruling and turn of events in the third round. The promotion plans to pay Rodriguez his win bonus, according to ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

Herman addressed the pause in action in his postfight interview.

"I don't know where I got hit, but I know I was hurt and I went down," he said. "I don't know if it was the groin or the body. All I know is I went down. I'd have to watch the tape and see how bad it was."