Rodolfo Bellato has strongly pushed back against suggestions that he faked an injury during his recent fight against Paul Craig.
The incident occurred this past Saturday at UFC Atlanta. Late in the first round, while both fighters were on the ground, Craig landed an illegal upkick. The moment that followed was widely discussed: Bellato appeared to react, look toward the referee Kevin MacDonald, fall backward, and seemingly become unconscious.
This unusual sequence led to significant online speculation that Bellato had feigned being knocked out in an attempt to secure a victory via disqualification. However, in his initial comments since the fight, Bellato unequivocally denied these accusations.
Addressing the claims, Bellato stated that the illegal kick genuinely affected him. He described the impact as strong, causing his body to tingle and his vision to disappear before he lost memory of the fall. He asserted that those who know him well understand he would “NEVER do this” and has “never run from war.” Bellato also pointed out the difficulty of his fight preparation, including making weight twice and undertaking two consecutive trips, questioning why he would fake an injury after such effort, especially when he felt he was winning the first round.
He concluded his statement by thanking supporters for their positive messages, stating, “God is in charge.”
The bout was ultimately ruled a No-Contest. Following the fight, Paul Craig, who completed his UFC contract with this appearance, expressed hope that the promotion would reschedule the contest for a later date this year.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely