Herb Dean: “We wish the fights to appear to be Contender Sequence”
In a current interview with Helen Yee, Dean addressed criticism of his UFC 306 officiating.
“I’ve seen on social media individuals have spoken about me calling the fighters to behave extra, for extra motion, and that’s what I’ve at all times performed,” Dean stated. “I’m on the lookout for effort to complete the combat. So, you’re both to posture to the place you possibly can throw probably arrange combat ending assaults or advance your place as a result of it’s not as simple as simply passing the guard, however effort to go, effort to advance your place, effort to convey the combat to a end. These guidelines are there. That rule was put in, standing up fighters, to make our sport look the best way we wish it to look.” (h/t MMA Knockout/Sports Illustrated)
Dean then defined why he pushes fighters in the direction of extra motion, even when the combat seems firmly of their palms.
“I feel we wish the fights to appear to be the fellows that get signed on the Contender Sequence,” Dean defined. “That’s why they signal these guys as a result of I feel that’s what they need our sport to appear to be…
“Guys who possibly get forward and are going to handle place as a result of that’s one factor. We’ve got place on this sport. A dominant place makes it so that you just’re in a position to assault your opponent, and it limits their capacity to assault you and for those who’re not utilizing that to progress in the direction of a win of the combat, it may be checked out as a hiding place to trip out a win.”
Dean, earlier than making his officiating debut, was a five-fight MMA skilled. He gathered a 2-3 document earlier than turning his consideration full-time to refereeing.
