Tag: UFC Referees

John McCarthy On Ref Marc Goddard Recusing Himself From Officiating Leon Edwards Fights: ‘Claims Don’t Mean S**t, But They’re Going To Make Them!’

“Big” John McCarthy recently shared his two cents on Marc Goddard’s decision to step down from officiating Leon Edwards’ fights, praising it as a wise and commendable move. During a recent interview on the Overdogs Podcast, Goddard delved into the complexities of refereeing MMA fights, particularly how personal relationships with fighters can complicate his role. […]

Continue Reading John McCarthy On Ref Marc Goddard Recusing Himself From Officiating Leon Edwards Fights: ‘Claims Don’t Mean S**t, But They’re Going To Make Them!’ at MMA News.

“Big” John McCarthy recently shared his two cents on Marc Goddard’s decision to step down from officiating Leon Edwards’ fights, praising it as a wise and commendable move.

During a recent interview on the Overdogs Podcast, Goddard delved into the complexities of refereeing MMA fights, particularly how personal relationships with fighters can complicate his role. The veteran referee used Edwards as a prime example, explaining that he will never officiate the reigning UFC welterweight champion bouts.

Goddard revealed that he was “Rocky’s” first MMA coach and wants to avoid any accusations of bias towards his former tutee, highlighting his commitment to maintaining impartiality.

The Brit referee has a storied career in MMA, boasting over two decades of experience both officiating and fighting. Goddard is a highly esteemed referee who has officiated numerous marquee bouts in the UFC and other top promotions.

McCarthy, a titan in the realm of MMA refereeing, hailed Goddard’s decision and offered his own insights on the perspectives of officiating a close friend’s fight…

McCarthy Endorses Decision to Avoid Officiating a Friend’s Fight

During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast with former UFC lightweight contender Josh Thomson, McCarthy recounted his encounters with the unique challenges of officiating fights involving fighters with whom he shared close personal bonds, while praising Goddard for his stance.

“It’s the right decision,” McCarthy said. “The real decision is that you try to take yourself out of situations that can put you into an area where someone can make a claim. And claims don’t mean sh*t, but they’re going to make them.”

“Big John” revealed that he had a close friendship with MMA legends Royce Gracie and Tim Sylvia, yet found himself officiating their bouts due to commission mandates.

The former UFC referee admitted he was initially reluctant to oversee those fights but couldn’t decline. He consistently made it a point to inform the commissions and MMA promotion about his camaraderie with the fighters.

“You have to just be honest and say, ‘Can you be fair?’ You’re always going to get someone who’s gonna say you’re not fair.”

Continue Reading John McCarthy On Ref Marc Goddard Recusing Himself From Officiating Leon Edwards Fights: ‘Claims Don’t Mean S**t, But They’re Going To Make Them!’ at MMA News.

Mario Yamasaki Shares The Best Way To Become An MMA Referee

If you want to be a referee in MMA, Mario Yamasaki has the tips you need. Refereeing in MMA is arguably the second toughest job in the sport, outside of being a fighter yourself. As Yamasaki could attest to, it is also a brutally unforgiving job, as th…

If you want to be a referee in MMA, Mario Yamasaki has the tips you need. Refereeing in MMA is arguably the second toughest job in the sport, outside of being a fighter yourself. As Yamasaki could attest to, it is also a brutally unforgiving job, as the repercussions that come from making a mistake…

Continue Reading Mario Yamasaki Shares The Best Way To Become An MMA Referee at MMA News.

Classy Jared Cannonier Doesn’t Hold Anything Against Referee Jason Herzog For Controversial Imavov Stoppage: ‘He’s Human’

Jared Cannonier recently conveyed that he bears no animosity toward referee Jason Herzog for the controversial stoppage of his fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Louisville. Cannonier suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Imavov in June when Herzog stepped in to halt the fight as the former UFC middleweight title challenger attempted to […]

Continue Reading Classy Jared Cannonier Doesn’t Hold Anything Against Referee Jason Herzog For Controversial Imavov Stoppage: ‘He’s Human’ at MMA News.

Jared Cannonier recently conveyed that he bears no animosity toward referee Jason Herzog for the controversial stoppage of his fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Louisville.

Cannonier suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Imavov in June when Herzog stepped in to halt the fight as the former UFC middleweight title challenger attempted to defend himself against a relentless barrage of strikes from his opponent.

Although “The Killa Gorilla” appeared shaken before the stoppage, it didn’t seem that he was on the brink of being finished, as evidenced by his visible frustration and immediate protest of the referee’s decision.

Herzog, widely regarded as one of the most respected and experienced referees in MMA, faced intense scrutiny from the MMA community for what many deemed a premature stoppage. Even Cannonier, at the time, described the entire situation as “gut-wrenching.”

Despite the controversy, “The Killa Gorilla,” who is set to make his return to the Octagon this Saturday to headline a Fight Night event against the undefeated Caio Borralho, insists that he holds no grudges against Herzog for the loss…

Cannonier on Herzog’s Judgment: ‘We All Make Mistakes’

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Cannonier opened up about his stoppage loss to Imavov. The 40-year-old Texan emphasized that Herzog wasn’t at fault, noting that the referee was simply fulfilling his duty and, in fact, spared him from taking further damage from his opponent.

“I’m not going to be salty like that. Herzog is a good referee,” Cannonier said. “I mean, he’s human; we all make mistakes or erroneous judgments, you know what I mean? To whatever degree we may perceive them to be, he was just doing his job in keeping me safe—or, you know what I’m saying, getting paid off to let the Frenchman win, I don’t know. But whatever the f**k, man. I didn’t go in there and knock out Imavov, so this is what I have to deal with.”

Cannonier further expressed that he wants to ensure such mistakes don’t occur again.

“I get the lessons from the unfortunate things that may have happened, like these stoppages and sh*t like that. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen again. Hopefully, these refs will give me an opportunity—if they see me on my feet, don’t stop the fight. You won’t see me on my feet getting battered like a speed bag making that sound or something like that.”

Cannonier’s loss was a tough setback, especially after his impressive back-to-back victories over Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland. A win would have positioned him as a prime contender for a second shot at the championship, but now he finds himself pushed further down the ranks in the contender lineup.

Continue Reading Classy Jared Cannonier Doesn’t Hold Anything Against Referee Jason Herzog For Controversial Imavov Stoppage: ‘He’s Human’ at MMA News.

Robert Whittaker Has Sympathy For Referees In MMA Despite Bad High-Profile Calls: ‘Nobody Talks About A Ref Doing A Good Job…’ (Exclusive)

June was a big month for the UFC’s middleweight division with several top contenders in action as the upcoming title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya draws closer. Former champion Robert Whittaker could have announced himself as the number one contender had Khamzat Chimaev not withdrawn from their main event in Saudi Arabia. […]

Continue Reading Robert Whittaker Has Sympathy For Referees In MMA Despite Bad High-Profile Calls: ‘Nobody Talks About A Ref Doing A Good Job…’ (Exclusive) at MMA News.

June was a big month for the UFC’s middleweight division with several top contenders in action as the upcoming title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya draws closer.

Former champion Robert Whittaker could have announced himself as the number one contender had Khamzat Chimaev not withdrawn from their main event in Saudi Arabia.

Whittaker ended up facing Ikram Aliskerov where he produced a dominant display to earn a first-round finish.

Earlier in the month, there was controversy in the division after Nassourdine Imavov stopped Jared Cannonier in a call that many believe was made too soon.

Referee Jason Herzog waved the fight off in the fourth round with fans believing that he stopped the fight too early despite some worrying signs from Cannonier.

Robert Whittaker Does Not Envy The Thankless Role Of Being A MMA Referee

In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Whittaker said that he feels some sympathy towards MMA officials for the thankless jobs that they do.

“The Reaper” didn’t agree with the stoppage of that fight but he also didn’t want to be too negative about the call that Herzog made in this instance.

He stated that he understands the frustration of being on the wrong end of an early stoppage and having faced Cannonier in the past, knows that there is no quit in him.

However, Whittaker said that he does not envy the role of the referees, specifically referencing how they never get credit but will always get criticized when a mistake is made.

“Mate, being a ref’s hard. It’s a hard gig and it’s easy to point the finger at a ref for being trigger happy or pulling a fight too late or pulling a fight too short but man, the reality is their job is so hard. So hard. Nobody talks about a ref doing a good job, they only get hammered when they make a mistake or when it’s not to the liking of the fans. It’s a hard gig and I don’t have an opinion on it.”

Here are the some of the other topics Whittaker discussed in the exclusive interview that you can watch in the video above:

  • Being upset with the media for misrepresenting his injury issue heading into the Aliskerov fight
  • Reacting to his first KO finish in seven years
  • On refereeing and how he would change judging in MMA
  • Explaining his decision not to weigh in at UFC 305 as the backup fighter
  • Discussing Sean Strickland, Bo Nickal, and Conor McGregor
  • Predicting how a rematch goes against Dricus Du Plessis

Read More: VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Reacts To Longtime Rival Alex Pereira’s Knockout Of Ji?í Procházka At UFC 303

Continue Reading Robert Whittaker Has Sympathy For Referees In MMA Despite Bad High-Profile Calls: ‘Nobody Talks About A Ref Doing A Good Job…’ (Exclusive) at MMA News.

Should Fighters Get To Pick & Choose Their Referees?

When two fighters go up against each other inside of a cage, there are weeks, if not years of preparation involved. Mixed martial artists dedicate their lives to training, eating well, and honing their skills. Then, they are locked in a cage with anoth…

When two fighters go up against each other inside of a cage, there are weeks, if not years of preparation involved. Mixed martial artists dedicate their lives to training, eating well, and honing their skills. Then, they are locked in a cage with another fighter trying their best to win. The thing is that it […]