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Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

Leah McCourt's defeat to Cat Zingano has MMA fans saying same thing

MMA fans were saying the same thing after Leah McCourt suffered a narrow decision defeat to Cat Zingano at Bellator 293.

Saintfield star McCourt was left bloodied and bruised following the three-round war at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.

All three judges scored the contest in Zingano's favour - 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28 - keeping the American on track for a featherweight world title shot.

Read more: Leah McCourt talks role models, big fight buzz and Cat Zingano prediction

Zingano landed two telling blows during the fight, an elbow in the second round and a knee in the third which caused blood to flow from McCourt's head.

But after the contest many fans believed McCourt should have won.

One tweeted: "I think McCourt definitely won that."

Another said: "A disgrace of a decision."

One fan labelled the decision "a joke", while another said: "Just caught up on that fight definitely though Leah won that."

David tweeted: "I can see 29-28 either way but 30-27 to Cat is a joke."

Jon suggested McCourt "got robbed", a verdict shared by many others.

"Zingano said of McCourt after their war: "She's really tall and really strong, and I'm not used to that at this weight class.

"I knew it was going to be a tussle with her. It was going to be tough with her.

"What I do know is how to cause damage and I think the damage made up for some of the transitional periods."

It was McCourt's second defeat as a professional and stalls her own quest for a shot at Cris Cyborg's title.

Cyborg is technically out of contract with Bellator but remains the reigning champion.

"It's sound like it's a vacant belt half the time," Zingano said after her win.

"Of course I want to be the champion, I've been working on that for a while. Whatever that looks like, let's go."

Meanwhile, in the heavyweight main event Daniel James stopped Brazilian Marcelo Golm with a superb knockout.

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