Sherdog’s Top 10: Best MMA Referees

Mike SloanJun 13, 2016



Top 10: Best MMA Referees

7. Josh Rosenthal

When former UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman flattened Mark Munoz on the UFC on Fuel 4 card, Rosenthal was the guy in black making sure everything inside the Octagon was on point. He was also the ref who saw Anderson Silva submit Chael Sonnen in the final round of their epic first match.

The heavily tattooed veteran was among the best in the business for several years, and had it not been for some outside-the-cage shenanigans, he may have ascended up the list even further. Rosenthal was indicted on federal drug charges stemming from a two-year long operation; officials raided an Oakland warehouse owned by Rosenthal that was filled with marijuana plants.

He was sentenced to 10 years to life years in federal prison, which put a damper on his officiating plans just a little. Even though Rosenthal was involved in a marijuana distribution operation, he was an awesome referee.

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