Referees in the UFC carry one of the toughest responsibilities in the sport as they have to protect fighters while ensuring fair competition. When they get it right, nobody notices. But when they get it wrong, those mistakes are instantly recognised and discussed on social media.
Over the years, a handful of refereeing errors have sparked huge controversy, changing the outcome of fights and even the outcome of careers. Here are the five worst referee decisions in UFC history.
Five Worst Referee Decisions in UFC History
Mario Yamasaki – Valentina Shevchenko vs Priscila Cachoeira (2018)
At UFC Fight Night 125, Valentina Shevchenko completely dismantled Priscila Cachoeira in one of the most one-sided fights ever. Shevchenko landed over 200 strikes to just three from Cachoeira, who had no business still being in the cage after the first round.
Referee Mario Yamasaki allowed the punishment to drag on far too long before the inevitable submission finish in round two. The stoppage was so late that Dana White blasted Yamasaki publicly, and it effectively ended his UFC refereeing career.
Steve Mazzagatti – Brock Lesnar’s Debut vs Frank Mir (2008)
Brock Lesnar’s highly anticipated UFC debut against Frank Mir at UFC 81 was derailed by referee Steve Mazzagatti. Lesnar took Mir down and hammered him with heavy ground-and-pound, but Mazzagatti stopped the action to penalise him for alleged strikes to the back of the head.
The call was questionable, and the reset gave Mir the chance he needed. Seconds later, Mir submitted Lesnar with a kneebar. Many fans still argue Mazzagatti’s ruling changed the trajectory of the fight.
Herb Dean – Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping (2009)
At UFC 100, Dan Henderson delivered one of the most famous knockouts in MMA history, flattening England’s Michael Bisping with his signature right hand. The problem was what happened next. Referee Herb Dean was just a few seconds too slow, allowing Henderson to dive in with a crushing follow-up punch on an unconscious Bisping.
Henderson later admitted he threw the extra shot intentionally, saying he wanted to silence his rival. Dean is usually praised for his work, but this remains one of his most criticised moments of his career.
John McCarthy – Matt Lindland vs Murilo Bustamante (2002)
At UFC 37, arguably the greatest MMA referee of all time John McCarthy controversially stopped the action during a Murilo Bustamante armbar, believing Matt Lindland had tapped. Lindland immediately protested, claiming he never submitted.
Moments later, McCarthy restarted the fight, something that would never happen today. Bustamante went on to win anyway, but the confusion made this one of the strangest referee decisions in UFC history, especially coming from one of the best referees in the sport’s history.
Herb Dean – Ben Askren vs Robbie Lawler (2019)
When Ben Askren made his highly anticipated UFC debut against Robbie Lawler at UFC 235, the fight was basically ruined due to its bizarre ending. Askren had Lawler in a bulldog choke, and Lawler’s arm appeared to go limp. Referee Herb Dean stepped in, thinking Lawler was out cold.
Seconds later, Lawler was fully conscious, up on his feet and protesting the decision to stop the fight. This stoppage robbed Lawler of a fair chance to escape, turning what could have been a career-reviving win into a hugely controversial loss.