Dana White Defends Dan Miragliotta After UFC Vegas 123

Dana White sided with referee Dan Miragliotta following criticism of a contested standup call during last Saturday's UFC Vegas 123 headliner at the Apex, according to BJPenn.com.

Miragliotta restarted the action while Renato Moicano held Tom Nolan in a grappling exchange. Nolan capitalized on the reset and stopped the Brazilian by TKO. Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and John McCarthy have blasted the referee's judgment in the days since. Miragliotta has said he will publicly clarify his reasoning if Nevada regulators give him permission.

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White Emphasizes Activity Over Positional Dominance

Speaking to reporters this week, the UFC boss acknowledged the backlash but remained noncommittal about the incident itself. White then laid out his view that damage and fight-ending intent matter more than mere control. Fighters who are skilled enough to secure dominant positions without pursuing a finish should expect intervention, he explained. Per the report, White said referees must stand up competitors when forward movement or meaningful offense stops.

His even-handed response contrasts sharply with previous attacks on officials Steve Mazzagatti and Herb Dean. White's public criticism is widely credited with derailing Mazzagatti's career in the cage.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Dana White defends referee Dan Miragliotta after controversial UFC Vegas 123 decision