Longtime UFC referee Herb Dean was also a formidable fighter before his career in officiating.
Herb Dean is a highly recognizable and veteran figure in the UFC, having officiated for nearly three decades. He`s overseen many of the sport`s biggest moments, including the historic UFC 229 clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.
Dean first stepped into the UFC Octagon as a referee at UFC 47, an event headlined by the heated light heavyweight rivalry between former teammates Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. Liddell secured a famous second-round knockout victory in that main event.
However, just months before launching his renowned career as a UFC official, Dean was actively competing as a fighter in regional promotions. While now synonymous with refereeing, his own five-fight professional career showed he was a dangerous competitor.
Herb Dean`s Fighting Career Before Becoming a Legendary Referee
Aiming to rebound from a difficult knockout loss to future UFC fighter Joe Riggs, Dean stepped into the cage against Tim Mendoza at King of the Cage 39 in August 2004. This heavyweight bout featured two promising contenders.
Dean quickly asserted control over Mendoza. Within seconds, he initiated a clinch, secured a powerful takedown, and landed damaging ground-and-pound strikes that visibly affected his opponent early on.
Mendoza appeared exhausted after the first round, a result of Dean`s relentless pressure and grappling attack. Dean maintained his intensity in the second round.
Dean landed a strong leg kick that badly rocked the heavyweight prospect. Midway through the round, he secured a Thai clinch and delivered a brutal knee strike to Mendoza`s chin.
Dean followed up with a powerful left hook, dropping Mendoza against the cage. The referee promptly intervened to stop the fight.
The victory over Mendoza proved to be the last win of Dean`s professional MMA career. He subsequently lost consecutive bouts to Choi Jung-Gyu and Dave Legeno. A significant eye injury sustained against Legeno ultimately led him to transition fully into officiating.
More than two decades later, Dean is widely regarded as one of MMA`s premier officials. However, even experienced referees face scrutiny, as highlighted by recent events.
Controversy Surrounds Herb Dean`s Officiating at UFC 317 and Beyond
At UFC 317, middleweight Gregory Rodrigues delivered a brutal knockout finish against Jack Hermansson. Hermansson required significant medical attention after being rendered unconscious.
Some prominent analysts, including Daniel Cormier, criticized Dean for not stopping the fight sooner, arguing he was too slow to react to Hermansson being knocked out. Rodrigues landed a subsequent punch that many viewers felt was unnecessary.
Dean also drew strong criticism from commentator Joe Rogan for his performance during Merab Dvalishvili`s victory over Sean O`Malley at UFC 306. Rogan felt Dean repeatedly urged Dvalishvili to increase his output while controlling O`Malley on the ground, which is not typically a referee`s role.
Even UFC CEO Dana White, while previously calling Dean the `gold standard` of officiating, has had public disagreements with his calls over the years.
Now 54, Dean shows no signs of retiring from officiating and reportedly still trains MMA. His fighting background, as seen in the Mendoza clip (though not included here), serves as a reminder of his capabilities – perhaps a deterrent for anyone thinking of challenging the referee inside the cage.
Percy Harlow