Former mixed martial arts referee turned Bellator MMA color-commentator, ‘Big’ John McCarthy has leveled criticism at his son, judge, Ron McCarthy – who scored last weekend’s UFC 282 co-headlining bout as 29-28 in favor of eventual victor, Paddy Pimblett, with many insisting opponent, Jared Gordon likely should have taken a decision victory.
Ron McCarthy, along with Mike Bell, and Doug Crosbie – who has since been under fire since he scored Danny Sabatello’s Bellator 289 clash with Raufeon Stots as 50-45 in favor of the former as the dissenting judge, all managed to find Pimblett as a 29-28 unanimous decision victor.
Paddy Pimblett’s decision win over Jared Gordon has been heavily criticized
Commenting on his son’s judging at UFC 282 last weekend, veteran former referee turned color-commenator, John McCarthy insisted his son had, in fact, picked the wrong winner during the co-main event matchup.
“No f*cking way Paddy Pimblett won that fight [against Jared Gordon],” Big John McCarthy told his co-host, UFC alum, Josh Thomson during their podcast, Weighing In. “My son [Ron McCarthy] was one of the judges and he asked me and I said, ‘You got that wrong. I thought Jared Gordon won 29-28.’” (Transcribed by MMA Mania)
Denying his fight with Queens native, Gordon was, in fact, closer than judges suggested with their respective scorecards, Liverpool contender, Pimblett claimed those who critcized his win were simply just haters of his.
“I’m a bit annoyed after people saying they thought I lost,” Paddy Pimblett said on the UFC 282 post-fight show. “I’m pretty annoyed, to be honest. But I’m 4-0 in the UFC – haters going to hate, you’ve got to get on with it.
“It’s not as though it was a split decision victory,” Paddy Pimblett explained. “But I’ll be honest, I thought I won the first two [rounds], and I took the third round off. It’s my own stupid fault – you should never take a round off, thinking you’re two rounds up. It goes without saying.”