Gallery Megan Anderson def. Cat Zingano at UFC 232: Best photos view 7 images

UFC featherweight Cat Zingano seeks to overturn a first-round TKO loss to Megan Anderson at UFC 232.

Zingano (10-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC), 36, wants the bout with Anderson (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) overturned to a no-contest, according to a copy of the appeal obtained by MMAjunkie, which can be seen here. Her attorney, Nathan Gable, also seeks “a legal opinion regarding the interpretation of the applicable rules” that were employed for the fight.

Less than one minute into the pay-per-view bout, Zingano was grazed by a kick that went into her eye. The blow was ruled legal by referee Marc Goddard, who advised the onetime bantamweight challenger to fight and waved off the bout when it was clear she could not continue.

The bout, which took place Dec. 29 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., was sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission, which follows the unified MMA rules. While a poke to the eye from fingers is considered an illegal blow, a strike that contacts the eyes is legal. Gable, however, argues the unified rules are vague on eye gouges and don’t explicitly rule out toes as a weapon.

“The language of the Unified Rules regarding eye gouging is non exhaustive and the examples listed, namely ‘eye gouging by means of fingers, chin, or elbow,’ are not meant as the only methods by which a foul may occur,” reads the appeal. “First, the language is plainly open ended, beginning with ‘eye gouging of any kind.…’ Had the Unified Rules intended to limit this foul to only the examples that followed and exclude toes from this foul, this rule would have been written with limiting language such as, ‘only eye gouging by means of fingers, chin, or elbow is illegal’ and omit the words ‘of any kind.’

“Additionally, had this rule been meant to limit this foul to only the examples that followed and exclude toes, then by the same logic, a thumb to the eye would not be foul as the rule merely mentions fingers, not thumbs.”

Gable cites the Unified Rules on bouts “concluded due to unforeseen, non-combat related issues” prior to the halfway mark (plus one second) of a scheduled bout and concludes Zingano’s bout should be ruled a no contest.

Zingano, a former bantamweight title challenger, will get a hearing in February to address her appeal, CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster told MMAjunkie.

In an Instagram post after the fight, Zingano worried her eye was ruptured and said she would be OK. But she later told ESPN.com the kick damaged her iris and retina and caused a hemorrhage and increased pressure in her eye.

It was Zingano’s first octagon bout as a featherweight and represented a fresh start after a 3-3 run at bantamweight that included a 14-second submission loss to now-former champ Ronda Rousey in a title fight nearly four years ago.

Anderson said she is open to a rematch with Zingano if the UFC orders one, though she indicated a preference for fighters native to the 145-pound class.

“I don’t really freaking care,” she said. “Let’s sign featherweights, if you want me to fight somebody else. Let’s actually sign some featherweights.”

For complete coverage of UFC 232, check out the UFC Events section of the site.