Nurullo Aliev Questions Point Deduction at UFC 333

Nurullo Aliev has questioned referee Marc Goddard’s decision to deduct a point during his loss to Grant Dawson at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Aliev said he believes a warning would have been enough, despite widespread praise for Goddard’s handling of the illegal strikes.

Goddard Takes a Point from Aliev

The penalty came in the first round. Dawson shot for a takedown, but Aliev defended it and worked into a position behind Dawson. Aliev then landed ground-and-pound, with several strikes appearing to hit the back of Dawson’s head.

Goddard stopped the action and told Aliev he had already warned him three times to avoid the area. He then brought Aliev to the center of the Octagon and deducted a point.

Daniel Cormier, commentating on the official broadcast, praised the referee’s decision and said he believed the point should have been taken. Online, viewers also commended Goddard’s firm response to the strikes. The issue has been a recurring topic in the UFC this year, with Alex Pereira criticizing Herb Dean over his handling of back-of-the-head strikes during Pereira’s fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.

Aliev Says the Deduction Was Unnecessary

Aliev said on Instagram that he felt he was close to finishing Dawson when the referee intervened. He questioned why the point was taken, adding that he respected Goddard’s authority but believed a warning would have been sufficient. He also asked his followers whether the deduction was necessary.

Aliev went on to lose by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the second and third rounds for Dawson, so the point deduction did not change the result.

UFC 333 took place in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with Alexander Volkanovski knocking out Movsar Evloev in the main event. The source does not report a scheduled next fight for either Aliev or Dawson.