The UFC president took to Twitter to criticize referee Mario Yamasaki for what he believes was a late stoppage in Sunday’s main event fight between ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone and ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira.
UFC president Dana White has always been the first one to criticize referees who have failed during one of his fight nights one way or another. This time around, in the aftermath of Sunday’s UFC event in Pittsburgh, it was veteran referee Mario Yamasaki who earned the wrath of the world’s leading MMA organization’s outspoken head honcho.
In the evening’s headlining bout between Donald Cerrone and Alex Oliveira, Yamasaki stepped in considerably late while Oliveira desperately tapped in a triangle choke by the “Cowboy”.
It didn’t take long for White to blast Yamasaki on twitter.
10 taps before Yamasaki stops it after @Cowboycerrone tells him!!! And he was looking right at it……WOW!!!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) 22. Februar 2016
The referees are instated by the respective athletic commissions and are no UFC employees. White has a history of publicly criticizing officials and regularly venting his anger after early or late stoppages, as well as questionable decisions by the judges. Steve Mazzagatti in particular has been on the wrong end of a White tirade time and time again. Yamasaki has yet to comment on the situation.