As per the definition from NSAC, a referee takes up a lot of responsibilities during the match. Cruz has yet to reply, but expect a rebuttal in the coming days. First, he was criticized for disqualifying Erick Silva at UFC 142 after alleged illegal elbows. Referee Keith Peterson waved it off when Burns refused to stand up as Algeo . Johns nickname is Big, given to him by the original co-owner Art Davie after John lifted him in the air. "I wish there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible sometimes. Despite this, Kevin remained calm and acted very professionally; earning him much praise from the MMA community. Bellator News. Originally from the UK, Roberts is an extremely experienced referee, first starting as a referee around 2002, and first officiating for the UFC in 2008 (UFC 89), in England. He also gave incorrect point deductions for things not in the rules and stopped fights much earlier than they should have been. Dominick Cruz (r.) protests UFC referee Keith Peterson's stoppage. Its fair to question the stoppage, but I do not like to see his character getting assassinated.. Over the past few years, Blake Grice has established himself in the big leagues of MMA officiating. MMA referee Keith Peterson has brutally fired back at Dominick Cruz's alcohol and cigarette claim following his controversial defeat at UFC 249. Leon Roberts was extremely focused when refereeing, and had a reputation as one of the best UFC referees; he officiated fairly, decisively, and knew exactly how to implement the rules because of his vast experience. For example, Herb Dean was in charge of around 130 bouts in 2021, while Jason Herzog was part of only around 100 fights in 2021. John has had a big influence on the UFC and is well known for his role in helping create the Official Rules of MMA (2000/01), which the UFC adopted early. Your email address will not be published. He solidifies himself as the chief of the octagon, and takes no talk or smack from fighters, even the heavyweights. At least it made MacDonald famous for making the worst stoppage ever, right? [deleted] 1 yr. ago. "That was an early stoppage, 100 percent - I'm positive of it," Cruz told ESPN on the UFC 249 post-fight show via MMA Junkie. Following Dominick Cruz' controversial stoppage loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC 249, 'The Dominator' accused referee Keith Peterson of smelling like alcohol and cigarettes, insinuating that. Keith has refereed in many organizations both here and abroad, the Ring of Combat here in New Jersey, MI-Global in Russia, the UFC in Brazil as well as Strikeforce and Bellator. Cruz was making his first Octagon appearance in more than three years at UFC 249. Jason Herzog is one of the best UFC referees of all time, just as he is one of the most famous. His greatest, terrible mistake was at UFC 102 when he was late to see Chris Leben tap out against Jake Rosholt that had him in a triangle choke. It quickly made headlines and made the UFC referee drug lord instantly famous. Hes one of the best refs. Latest MMA. Most people didnt see Tims arm break, but Herb immediately saw it and quickly stopped the fight, preventing any further damage and potentially saving Tims career. who is jett williams married tolist of catholic bishops in the world. For the most part, Mike has avoided any major controversial moments as a referee which is a testament to how good he is at his job. He got his nickname Big because of his physical appearance, being 190 cm tall, weighing around 130 kg. Mario has officiated in some of the biggest UFC fights, such as Brock Lesnar vs Couture (UFC 91), where Lesnar became champion, and Liddell vs Ortiz 2 (UFC 66), which was the first UFC event to 1 million PPV buys. Sherdog Forums | UFC, MMA & Boxing Discussion. Before Keith Peterson was no nonsense he was throwing punches on the New Jersey regional scene. Keep in mind when a lot of these people were first introduced to Cruz, the smartest fighters at that point were people like Frank Mir lol. Marc Goddard Pro. We strive to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Still, everybody else blasted Roberts, especially Dana White, who stated it was a horrible stoppage that shouldve been done sooner. Every illegal blow shifts the momentum of a fight, so even if it happens accidentally, it should be penalized, and Herzog does that better than any other ref. MMA News. For entry-level female referees, the pay scale is the same as for male referees. He was criticized several times for his reaction speed and the ability to analyze the situation. https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-referees-who-fought-mma-dean-goddard-peterson-grice-trigg, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. These referees shoulder the massive responsibility of making sure that the fight stays within the realms of what is allowed and preventing fighters from committing fouls or worse sustaining serious injury. Instead, Nevada State Athletic Commission(NSAC) provides the referees for these promotions. He has since resumed refereeing in 2021 but is yet to work for a top MMA promotion. Sig. Keith Peterson is known for Bruised (2020), Kingdom (2014) and UFC on ABC (2021). Week after week, the officials grace the streams of MMA fans around the world. I wish they drug tested them. He wrestled through High School and College. A daily roundup of all your MMA and UFC news from Bloody Elbow, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Jon Anik defends referee Keith Peterson from Dominick Cruz character assassination. He is a very professional referee, with great composure, focus, and clear and concise vocals that are easily understood by fighters. The most legendary and famous referee on the list, Big John McCarthy has refereed since UFC 2 and has officiated over 500 MMA fights in 25 years (1993-2018), making him the most experienced referee in UFC and MMA history. Daley was immediately kicked from the UFC. Keith Peterson Amateur record: 4-3 Years active: 2007-2008 Before Keith Peterson was "no nonsense" he was throwing punches on the New Jersey regional scene. A post shared by Kevin Mulhall (@nj_muay_thai). Some fans questioned his reaction quickness, but he hasnt had any major lapses in his career even though he is a very frequent referee in UFC, Bellator, and other promotions. TripAtTheBrain Mentally Incompetent. Hes a former fighter (7-6 record) and loves the sport, describing himself as a referee trapped in a fighters body.. Herb Dean weighs in on Dominick Cruz's words about referee Keith. Age: 34 | Date of Birth: 1988.10.19 Last Fight: December 17, 2022 in UFC Weight Class: Lightweight | Last Weigh-In: 156.0 lbs Affiliation: N/A Height: 5'8" (173cm) | Reach: 70.0" (178cm) Career Disclosed Earnings: $658,000 USD Born: United States Fighting out of: Denver, Colorado Fighter Links: Personal Links: Worldwide Rankings Rankings FAQ #12 Yaroslav Amosov leaves the battlefields of Ukraine to become Bellator world champion in Dublin Peter Queally targets crucial victory on huge night for Irish MMA in Dublin Shevchenko landed over 200 strikes while Cachoeira landed three, and Yamasaki didnt stop the fight at any moment. Formerly a firefighter, Kevin Macdonald has been a referee since the inception of the sport in the early 90s. Entry-level referees generally do not get called up to UFC. 0 2 . One of the most famous UFC referees of all time is the great Mike Beltran. Arguably the most famous UFC referee ever, Herb Dean has been called the gold standard for referees in MMA by Dana White, Joe Rogan, and countless articles. Unlike many MMA referees, Peterson is not a massive guy. Hes also very noticeable for his bald head and goatee. Top female referees get $1000 onwards per fight in non-PPV events and $3500 onwards for PPV events. MMA / 15 Most Famous UFC Referees of All Time. Oops. Though his rise to notoriety came on the officiating side, Marc Goddard competed 14 times as a professional MMA fighter from his debut in 2002 up until his competitive retirement in 2008. . Keith Peterson is perhaps amongst some of the deadliest referees in the UFC. Roberts hasnt officiated a single bout after that up to this day. Before UFC was popular fighters would spit in their opponets face etc grabbbing testiccles, playing with buttholes etc that is why he got the nickname ''no nonsense'' because he would take a point if you ever did it why he was reffing. Afterward, his statement made him (in)famous when he said that he wanted to let Cachoeira be a warrior and try to fight back. However, his most controversial decision thats disputed to this day is the only loss in Jon Jones entire career a disqualification against Matt Hamill. Steve is not active on any social media. Perhaps the most integral part of any UFC event is the referees. However, he officiated hundreds upon hundreds of MMA fights and only made a few of those mistakes, making him possibly the best UFC referee of all time. The stunning result produced wildly different reactions from both fighters as Namajunas, 28, fell to her knees in tears of joy. Keith began refereeing at New Jerseys Amateur events, which led to opportunities refereeing in other states such as Pennsylvania, Maine and Ohio. Villanueva went on to go 1-2-1 as a professional, as Peterson grinded his way to become one of the most used high-level officials in recent years. Leben started convulsing in the ring in the biggest scare you can see in a cage. TV Shows. He has been a part of the UFC since 2008. Unlike Big John, he is still active; the most active UFC referee in 2020, officiating 75 fights that year. UFC 285 weigh-ins video: Jon Jones heavier than Ciryl Gane! As fighters do we have that choice? He carried this MMA expertise and law enforcement professionalism into his refereeing. Exclusives. UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac L Toshiomi Kazama . His most controversial and infamous call was his disqualification of Jon Jones for the use of 12 to 6 elbows; giving Jones his only career loss. Buried in the bowels of YouTube are some of the most popular referees in MMA today throwing punches, kicks, and elbows. He did however come under scrutiny when Dominick Cruz publicly claimed Peterson smelled of alcohol and cigarettes, as he believed Peterson had prematurely ended his bout against Henry Cejudo. Cruz just called out Kieth Peterson for . Referees for preliminary card earn a base salary of about $30,000. He is the first-ever referee from the United Kingdom to be a part of the UFC. Well. Therefore, Herb Deans yearly payout would be far more than that of Jason Herzog even if both men are on the same salary. However, officials used by major promotions on a frequent basis often rack up more cage-time on international airwaves than the athletes they oversee. str. His most high-profile bout was the classic title fight between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustaffson. MMA referee Keith Peterson has brutally fired back at Dominick Cruz's alcohol and cigarette claim following his controversial defeat at UFC 249.