Fighter's corner slammed for allowing bloody beat-down at UFC 224

Raquel Pennington, from the United States, takes position as she fights Amanda Nunes, from Brazil. Photo / AP Photo

Amanda Nunes bludgeoned Raquel Pennington for more than 20 bloody minutes on her way to retaining the 135-pound strap.

Nunes returned for the first time since a split decision win against Valentina Shevchenko in September last year and showed no signs of losing her status as the best female bantamweight in the world.

She butchered Pennington with leg kicks before appearing to break her nose with a knee in the clinch.

The American, who was fighting for the first time since defeating Miesha Tate in late 2016, told her corner she was done after round four but was sent back out for more punishment.

Amanda Nunes, top, from Brazil, top, fights Raquel Pennington, from the United States. Photo / AP Photo

"She was physically in the fight in round five but she wasn't mentally in the fight," a UFC commentator said.

"We could see, it was right in front of us, her nose basically exploded."

That pretty much goes against everything a corner is supposed to do for a fighter. https://t.co/tx9ca5IACh

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 13, 2018

Pennington's corner faced immediate criticism for telling her to "change her mindset" instead of throwing in the towel.

This is incredibly uncomfortable to watch. “We’ll recover later”? What? And throughout this no technical advice is shared. Just a pep talk and a refusal to listen to their fighter. Pennington, who is the epitome of a fighter, deserves better than this. https://t.co/WONNOWHWzN

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 13, 2018

That’s a shitty corner!

— The Thugjitsu Master (@thugjitsumaster) May 13, 2018

Really feel bad for her. They’re meant to save her from punishment like that.. not send her out for more.

— Bec Rodriguez (@RowdyBec) May 13, 2018

They should have never let her go into the 5th round like that.

— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) May 13, 2018

Raquel Pennington tells her corner that she wants to be done. They send her back out there though. #UFC224

— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) May 13, 2018