Tanner Boser denies fence grab before UFC Vegas finish, understands why OSP’s team would be upset

Tanner Boser was happy to get back in the win column on the first fight of his new UFC deal.

“The Bulldozer” snapped a two-fight skid with a second-round TKO win over Ovince Saint Preux in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 30 on Saturday. Boser had a sensational first round but found himself on his back with Saint Preux in side control early in the second round.

Boser attempted to get back to his feet and, at first glance, looked to have grabbed the fence, which led referee Jason Herzog to walk over and looked to potentially call a pause to the action. Herzog immediately changed his mind, Boser got to his feet and dropped Saint Preux with a vicious knee which led to the beginning of the end.

Speaking with the media after the victory, Boser was asked about the fence grab controversy and sees both sides of it.

“I heard his corner yelling but I don’t remember doing it,” Boser said. “I don’t think there was [a fence grab].

“Their job is to be in the best interest of their fighter. If they believe that I grabbed the fence, they have every right to be angry. I don’t believe I grabbed the fence, I didn’t see on the replay that I grabbed the fence and I’m confident that I didn’t grab the fence. But if they believe that that’s what happened then they have every right to be upset because he’s their guy. It’s up to the coaches to be on their guy’s side.”

After the event ended, MMA Fighting confirmed that Saint Preux would be appealing the loss and hoping to overturn the result to a no-contest due to the way Herzog handled the situation.

“I felt the ref put his hand on my back, which is only done to pause the action or call a finish,” Saint Preux said in a statement to MMA Fighting. “I slightly paused and then the tide turned.

“We will be protesting and requesting a no contest.”

Boser was exonerated from any wrongdoing once replays were shown. Before the broadcast team went to break, Daniel Cormier called attention to the fence grab controversy and repeatedly said, “That was bad.”

Upon further review, it was clear Boser didn’t grab the fence and was asked to respond to Cormier and the commentary team’s presentation of the moment.

“My win bonus is gonna be in my account,” Boser said when asked about the commentary. “It doesn’t change anything. I won that fight.”