Herb Dean has been a significant matter of dialogue throughout social media over the previous month, primarily stemming from a struggle he officiated between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250. Really, let me take that again. Herb Dean has been mentioned on social media for years due to his refereeing. Nevertheless, the highlight has by no means been brighter than it has been over the previous month.
Herb Dean: The Gold Customary?
For years, Herb Dean has been considered the gold commonplace of MMA officiating. He obtained widespread reward within the first UFC title struggle he ever refereed, between Tim Sylvia and Frank Mir in 2004. Mir snapped Sylvia’s arm, however “The Maine-iac” refused to faucet to the submission. Sylvia was livid that Dean stepped in to cease the struggle, however replay clearly confirmed his arm had damaged, and Dean was praised for safeguarding the fighter.
Being an MMA referee—or a referee in any sport, for that matter—is a really thankless job. Officers are criticized relentlessly for his or her errors, whereas few individuals discover after they carry out effectively. Nevertheless, being an MMA referee arguably carries even higher stakes due to the well being and security considerations concerned, along with the truth that fighters sometimes solely obtain half of their purse with a loss. Merely put, careers and lives are at stake each time the cage door closes, and no fighter desires a referee figuring out their future.
In Criticism of Herb Dean:
One among Dean’s most notorious errors got here throughout Ben Askren’s UFC debut in 2019. After almost being completed by Robbie Lawler within the opening minute, Askren battled again and “defeated” Lawler two minutes later with a bulldog choke. Believing Lawler had gone unconscious, Dean stepped in to cease the struggle, just for Lawler to right away arise and protest the choice.
The errors have gone each methods. In 2021, throughout a struggle between Marcos Rogério de Lima and Ben Rothwell, Dean stepped in for what seemed to be an early stoppage earlier than making an attempt to let the struggle proceed after an injured Rothwell accomplished a takedown. Dean in the end needed to acknowledge that he had already waved off the competition.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum, Dean obtained heavy criticism in 2020 for a late stoppage in a struggle between Francisco Trinaldo and Jai Herbert. Herbert was knocked down by Trinaldo within the third spherical and, whereas he might not have been utterly unconscious, he was clearly unable to intelligently defend himself. Dean allowed Trinaldo to land two pointless follow-up strikes earlier than stepping in. The sequence additionally produced the notorious “Cease the struggle!” second, as commentator Dan Hardy repeatedly shouted at Dean from cageside.
That brings us to this summer season, when Dean was assigned to officiate the interim heavyweight championship bout between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. After beautiful Pereira with a strong jab, Gane swarmed in for the end, touchdown quite a few elbows to the again of Pereira’s head within the course of. Pereira initially survived the barrage however was finally stopped towards the cage roughly 20 seconds later.
Following the struggle, Pereira embarked on a social media campaign criticizing Dean, claiming, “I’ll by no means permit Herb Dean to referee considered one of my fights once more.”
Dean obtained much more criticism two weeks later for his efficiency within the struggle between Shara Magomedov and Michel Pereira. Magomedov dedicated a minimum of three fouls through the contest, but Dean by no means deducted a degree, and Magomedov in the end escaped with a slim 29-28 resolution victory.
Alex Pereira later got here to Michel Pereira’s protection, additional pushing the narrative that Dean was, in his phrases, “the worst referee within the sport.” Fueling Pereira’s argument much more, Michel Pereira was launched by the UFC following the loss, including one other layer of controversy to Dean’s latest performances.
CSAC Commissioner Andy Foster Weighs In:
Regardless of the criticism surrounding his latest officiating, California State Athletic Fee government officer Andy Foster has publicly defended Herb Dean throughout an interview with MMA Junkie. When requested about Dean, Foster mentioned:
“I feel Herb Dean is an effective referee… Herb Dean has my full confidence.”
Referring particularly to the Pereira-Gane struggle, Foster added:
“That seemed to me like a standard struggle. I feel what began that collection was the punch that despatched Pereira to the bottom. He [Gane] is attempting to complete him, he [Pereira] is attempting to get again within the struggle; there’s little question just a few of them acquired by. The query is what do you do in that scenario. Do you cease the motion? As a result of I don’t suppose many referees would have, particularly on the excessive degree. And inform me that’s one thing you haven’t seen earlier than.”
Two issues may be true on the similar time. Gane unquestionably landed unlawful strikes to the again of Pereira’s head. It’s additionally true that Pereira shelled up through the ending sequence, exposing the again of his head and making these unlawful strikes tougher to keep away from. Referees are usually taught to not interrupt a ending sequence to challenge a warning or deduct a degree except they’re ready to cease the struggle altogether.
Regardless of the criticism and boos he has obtained in latest weeks, Herb Dean will continue to officiate and will almost certainly remain assigned to high-profile main events and championship fights. Whereas he might not be seen because the unquestioned gold commonplace of MMA refereeing, Dean remains to be, by most accounts, among the best officers within the sport. And with all of the scrutiny he has confronted recently, he can a minimum of take consolation in realizing that one of many sport’s most revered athletic commissions nonetheless has full confidence in him.
