Jorge Masvidal Says Herb Dean Needs to Go After String of Controversial Calls
Jorge Masvidal backs Alex Pereira's push to remove Herb Dean from UFC officiating, calling the veteran referee the most nervous official in the cage.
Jorge Masvidal is adding his voice to the growing chorus of fighters calling for referee Herb Dean to be removed from UFC events.
Speaking on The Deep Waters podcast, the former UFC welterweight title challenger said Dean's recent performances have been unacceptable. "Herb does it to himself, man," Masvidal said. "This guy's got to go."
Masvidal pointed to two recent incidents. At UFC Freedom 250, Ciryl Gane finished Alex Pereira in the second round of their interim heavyweight title fight, but replays showed Gane landing several apparent illegal blows to the back of Pereira's head. Pereira publicly criticized Dean after the fight and started a petition to have him removed from UFC officiating.
At UFC 332, Dean stopped the King Green vs Esteban Ribovics lightweight bout after Ribovics dropped Green multiple times. Green protested, and some observers felt the stoppage was premature. Masvidal took issue with Dean's inconsistency, saying he "sprints at them to stop" some fights while "touches people all the time without stopping it" in others.
"He's the most nervous in there," Masvidal said. "I don't think he should be an official."
Masvidal said that as a fighter he could always see the referee in his peripheral vision and felt Dean's nervous energy affected the flow of fights. He backed Pereira's petition and said Dean's time as a top-level referee is done.
I have watched Herb Dean ref fights in person at the T-Mobile Arena, the MGM Grand, everywhere in this town. For years he was the gold standard. But the last 12 months have been rough, and the fighters are not wrong to say it.
The Pereira vs Gane situation was bad. Multiple shots to the back of the head, and Dean did not intervene. Then he turns around and sprints in to stop Green vs Ribovics when Green was still fighting back. The inconsistency is the problem. Fighters need to know the rules will be applied the same way every time.
Masvidal calling him "the most nervous in there" is harsh but it tracks with what we have seen. When a referee's body language starts affecting the fighters, it is time for a conversation. I am not saying Dean needs to be banned, but the athletic commissions need to look at the tape and decide if he still belongs on the biggest cards.
