‘Criminal Arbitration’ – UFC fans stunned as footage resurfaces of Holly Holm knocked out through the ropes in boxing

Holly Holm was sent backwards into the ropes during a brutal boxing knockout defeat 13 years ago.

Before shocking the MMA world in 2015 by snatching the UFC bantamweight strap from long-time reigning champion Ronda Rousey via a vicious head kick KO, Holm was a high-caliber boxer.

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“The Preacher’s Daughter” won gloved world titles in three different weight classes and was named Ring Magazine’s Female Fighter of the Year for two consecutive years in 2005 and 2006.

Holm has always been known for her sturdy chin, but she couldn’t withstand the punishment dealt out by Anne Sophie Mathis when they fought for two versions of the welterweight titles in 2011.

The two men met at the Route 66 Casino in New Mexico, a venue with a rich history of hosting women’s boxing matches.

Holm had won her two previous contests at the casino and the hotel, but she was knocked out by Mathis in the seventh round of their fight.

After eating a crisp left hook from the French pioneer, Holm returned to the ropes where she became tangled.

Mathis piled on the pressure and landed a quick burst that knocked Holm to his feet.

What happened next was very bizarre.

Rather than call off the fight, the referee made the puzzling decision to help Holm back to his feet and signaled for the fight to continue.

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Holm was then hit with a right uppercut that was sent down and out, through the ropes.

A video of the vicious stoppage recently resurfaced and some UFC fans were surprised by the quality of the referees in the fight.

Reacting to the video, one fan tweeted: “Criminal refereeing in this match. He should never let her fight again in this state.”

Another wrote: “The ref didn’t think to stop this while she was hanging on to the ropes cold?

A third added: “How does the ref not call the fight when she’s hanging on the ropes? He literally woke her up.”

Holm faced Mathis seven months after their inaugural meeting, this time beating the Nancy puncher the distance by unanimous decision.

She would fight two more times as a professional – defeating Diana Prazak and Mary McGee – before hanging up her gloves in 2013.

Towards the end of her gloved career, she had already competed in a few professional MMA fights and devoted all her attention to the sport once she retired from boxing.

In 2015, she was signed by the UFC and later that year, she knocked out Rousey for the bantamweight crown.

Holm lost the 135-pound strap in her first defense against Miesha Tate and subsequently unsuccessfully challenged for the featherweight belt twice.

She is now in the twilight of her career and was most recently submitted by Olympic gold medalist judoka Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 earlier this month.