Herb Dean under scrutiny: Can UFC remove controversial referee?

Herb Dean's run of questionable stoppages and missed calls has raised serious questions about whether the UFC can intervene to remove the longtime referee from its cards.

According to MMA Mania's mailbag column, while UFC president Dana White wields considerable influence over the sport's infrastructure, he cannot directly select or blacklist officials in territories governed by athletic commissions. Staff writer Alex Behunin noted that White maintains a good relationship with Dean and is unlikely to push for his removal the way he did with refs like Steve Mazzagatti and Mario Yamasaki, who were effectively run out of the sport after safety-compromising incidents.

Fighter petitions and commission control

Fighters do have one path to avoid specific referees. Per the MMA Mania piece, a competitor can petition the athletic commission to keep a particular official from working their bout — Brock Lesnar successfully did this to block Mazzagatti from refereeing at UFC 91. The UFC does bring established referees to international events where the promotion serves as its own regulatory body, giving White more discretion overseas.

Tim Edwards of MMA Mania wrote that Dean's recent high-profile errors have been "pretty bad" and can damage a fighter's career, but they do not rise to the level of danger posed by Mazzagatti or Yamasaki, whose stoppages risked serious injury. Dean drew fresh criticism in June when he failed to catch Shara Magomedov grabbing Michel Pereira's hair during UFC Fight Night in Baku, then issued only a warning after the fact.

The mailbag also addressed the absence of John McCarthy from UFC cards despite his return to refereeing. Behunin reported that McCarthy has worked recent PFL events but refuses UFC assignments because White "hates him again" for his time with Bellator and McCarthy wants to avoid additional drama. Dean, meanwhile, remains a fixture on major UFC cards despite mounting fan frustration over his inconsistent officiating.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Mania Mailbag: What’s the deal with Herb Dean?