UFC Ref Herb Dean Under Fire Again After Another Poor Showing

Gaming UFC Ref Herb Dean Under Fire Again After Another Poor Showing By Brian Mazique,

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Brian Mazique has covered combat sports and video games since 2011.Follow Author Jun 27, 2026, 06:14pm EDTJun 27, 2026, 06:20pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Summary Longtime MMA referee Herb Dean is under intense scrutiny after two controversial officiating performances. At UFC Baku, Dean repeatedly warned Shara Magomedov for hair-pulling and an eye poke against Michel Pereira but failed to deduct a point, potentially altering the unanimous decision. This follows an incident less than a month prior at UFC Freedom 250, where Dean allowed Ciryl Gane to land questionable illegal strikes to Alex Pereira's head, leading Pereira to accuse Dean and express reluctance to fight. Fans and media widely criticize Dean's inconsistent rule application, especially his failure to penalize fouls after multiple warnings. Questions are now mounting about his continued assignment to major UFC events given his track record of controversial decisions.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 01: Offical Herb Dean looks on after the middleweight bout between Michal Oleksiejczuk of Poland and Kevin Holland UFC 302 at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)Getty ImagesLongtime MMA referee Herb Dean has seen better days in the cage. Less than a month after he allowed Ciryl Gane to land multiple questionable shots to the back of Alex Pereira's head at UFC Freedom 250, Dean turned in another uneven performance at UFC Baku during Shara Magomedov and Michel Pereira's bout. As you might expect, fans and MMA media let him know about it. Let's talk MMA.