Marc Goddard won’t be the third man in UFC 304’s main event this month (Sat., July 27, 2024).
It takes two to tango and a third to facilitate. The best of the best should be involved at the highest level of any profession. For the better part of the past 15 years, England’s Goddard has been a part of that conversation regarding referees.
The next big mixed martial arts (MMA) event, UFC 304, will see the promotion return to Goddard’s home country where two native champions take center stage. In the main event, Welterweight champion, Leon Edwards, will rematch the top contender, Belal Muhammad. However, Goddard has made it a point to go out of his way to not officiate “Rocky” bouts.
“Leon Edwards,” Goddard told Overdogs Podcast (h/t MMA Fighting) when asked if there are any fighters’ fights he’d never referee in. “You’ve never saw me referee Leon Edwards in the UFC and you never will. Why? Because I was Leon Edwards’ first coach in MMA. Way, way, way back when, when he was just an amateur. But again, the common sense element for me, like I said, even though the link is so — who knew then when Leon first walked into that gym as a raw amateur, a raw novice, with no experience. Now look at him. UFC Welterweight champion of the world.
“But you’ve never saw me referee him and you never will because we’ll just keep it out of the way,” he concluded. “I just don’t want any hassle and I don’t want to be put in a predicament where I’m making a call that could go against him, so it’s both ways.”
Officials have yet to be assigned to UFC 304. Although he may not be handling Edwards’ third title defense, Goddard would be a no-brainer for the interim UFC Heavyweight title co-main event between the champion, Tom Aspinall, and Curtis Blaydes.