MMA refereeing fixture Herb Dean has been praised and maligned for his split-second judgment calls. Sometimes, the very same call has elicited the two reactions. At first, he was booed vociferously for stepping in at UFC 48 after Frank Mir snapped Tim Sylvia's arm in a heavyweight title fight. The replay showed why, and he was praised.
For over an hour, Dean discusses the finer points of every aspect of refereeing an MMA fight, from groin shots to eye pokes to point deductions to greasing to self-defense. He also discusses his brushes with MMA fighting and what he does when a loopy fighter shoots on him, thinking it's his opponent. This is a definitive discussion, and a handy guide for fans who seek to know where high-level referees are coming from when they intervene in the action.
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