Dana White on Steve Mazzagatti

[bleSs]

Dana starts by saying he has contacted NSAC executive director Keith Kizer about Mazzagatti no longer working UFC shows:

“[Kizer] knows my opinion,” said White. “He has no answer. He doesn’t want to hear from me.”

White then goes into greater detail over the control fighters have over who refs their fights:

“I’m going to tell the fighters they can turn down referees and it’s in their hands if they want a ref who may end up getting them hurt in a match,” said White, who noted that both Anthony Johnson and Randy Couture have turned down Mazzagatti to officiate recent matches when assigned.

It's good to see that fighters are taking a stand against poor reffing also and it is clear that Dana is looking to take the only action he can to get Mazzagatti off the UFC cards.

Source-http://www.bloodyelbow.com/

[bbjd7]

Honestly this is bullshit.

Look at UFC 96 horrible reffing and Maz had nothing to do with it.

His mistake in the Johnson vs Burns fight was horrible but we've never seen a situation like that before.

This is really stupid and I hope fighters dont blackball Maz out of the sport he makes mistakes but so do all the other refs.

[ShadyNismo]

Meh, I saw this coming.... ;)

[Vanguard]

Maz Sucks as a ref.

Although Yves Lavigne did mess up the Sell and Brown fight, at least he was man enough to fess up to it. He's a good ref generally.

I have respect for Yves openlly admitting that he blew it. Nothing worse than people who act stupid and deny any wrongdoing when everyone knows otherwise.

[Aaron]

Mazz has done some dumb shit...

[bbjd7]

Maz admitted he messed up the Johnson fight. Now besides that one I don't remember any fights that were so horrible.

I mean Mir vs Brock was questionable but not dreadful.

Frankie vs Tyson he made a mistake but Mario Yamasaki made a bigger mistake in the same spot in a title fight.

If there are big mistakes I'm forgetting let me know but none of them have been that bad.

[Kingofkings]

In a sport where its subjective, like mma, or wrestling, you can never please everyone. If you stop a fight too soon you get a raking, and if you let it go to far you get a raking.

A fight can end in the blink of an eye, and it's hard to be right there to stop it in a split second. Theres just no way to please everyone.

[bail3yz]

I wonder why Randy didnt want Mazzagetti?

Is there any story behind that?

[MJB23]

I'd love to see Dana ref. He would fail miserably.

Mazz has made some mistakes in the past but he's not as bad as everyone makes him out to be.

What Yves did in the Sell/Brown fight was way worse. It's things like bad calls like that that lead to brain damage and other injuries.

[steph05050]

i agree maz has messed up but he isnt as bad as everyones says...plus its gotta be a hard job

[Brad.Taschuk]

I always find it funny that if a ref is good 95% of the time, we call them a bad ref.

Can you imagine a ref who screws up 1 in every 20 matches? That guy would get roasted. The Maserati really isn't that bad.

[Sewaside]

It's always something too early too late... It's a judgement call type thing and Maz has had his bad moments but there's other refs who have had just as bad. Maz obviously isn't the best but does he seriously stand out as being that much worse then the others?

[Malky]

It's always something too early too late... It's a judgement call type thing and Maz has had his bad moments but there's other refs who have had just as bad. Maz obviously isn't the best but does he seriously stand out as being that much worse then the others?

I think its just because his mistakes are more high profile, that they stick in peoples minds.

[Sewaside]

I think its just because his mistakes are more high profile, that they stick in peoples minds.

More then likely yes.

[DRAGON]

It isn't just Mazzagati, but considering that Mazz has been the one to do it the most, I'm sure that's why he's getting the butt of the blame.

[eric2004bc]

hes made some mistakes, but which ref hasnt made mistakes? also refing an MMA fight must be a very hard job

[MilesHackett]

I agree completely with bbjd here. Every referee makes mistakes, but what people fail to recognize is how many fights these referees partake in where there are NO issues. Mazz has certainly made some questionable calls, but even Big John has, see Sakuraba/Silveira at Ultimate Japan.

People completely overlook the good job that is done about 80% of the time, because they don't notice the refereeing playing a factor. And that's the way you can tell a referee is doing a great job, if you don't notice them at all.

[Malky]

I agree completely with bbjd here. Every referee makes mistakes, but what people fail to recognize is how many fights these referees partake in where there are NO issues. Mazz has certainly made some questionable calls, but even Big John has, see Sakuraba/Silveira at Ultimate Japan.

People completely overlook the good job that is done about 80% of the time, because they don't notice the refereeing playing a factor. And that's the way you can tell a referee is doing a great job, if you don't notice them at all.

I do agree with the sentiment but it has so hard not to feel aggrieved when a ref has such a blatant effect on the outcome of a fight. I accept that everyone makes mistakes but the thing that really annoyed me was the punishment Al-Turk received that when on for far too long.

[bbjd7]

Yea but to be fair Al Turk had Kongo in his guard.

It is really hard to stop fights when guys have guard or are even reaching out to get guard.

[Kyokushin]

i agree maz has messed up but he isnt as bad as everyones says...plus its gotta be a hard job

Quoted for truth, and I'm sure everyone can think of other refs who have made questionable decisions.

[MilesHackett]

I do agree with the sentiment but it has so hard not to feel aggrieved when a ref has such a blatant effect on the outcome of a fight. I accept that everyone makes mistakes but the thing that really annoyed me was the punishment Al-Turk received that when on for far too long.

Yeah, that was definitely a bit hard to watch. But like bbjd said, Al Turk was holding Kongo in his guard, so it looked like he was trying to intelligently defend himself until the elbows started flying. It certainly could have been stopped sooner, but then you get situations like Koscheck/Thiago, where there is a shadow of doubt cast upon the outcome of the fight.

Being a referee is just a lose-lose situation, it's much easier for us to sit outside of their position and determine what was a good/bad decision.

[bbjd7]

Yea I thought Dana was full of shit for calling him out about UFC 92. Al Turk vs Kongo was a hard one to stop in fact the last three stoppages with a guy having guard I remember were bitched about.

Koscheck vs Thiago, Grice vs Veach, and Riley vs Nelson.

I know all four fights are different but stopping a fight when a guy has guard is really tough.

Forrest vs Rashad was a good stoppage. He gave Forrest a chance to fight out of it.

I mean Randy took way more shots from Brock then Forrest took from Rashad.

[PirateNinja415]

i think if the fighters don't want to have maz as a ref, they are totally justified in doing so. there is so much on the line for them in each fight that they should be able to feel confident with the ref in the ring with them will give them a fair outcome, but also protect them as well. i like maz, i think he's a good person and a true fan of this sport that, but he has made a bunch of mistakes in the past and if people are questioning his reffing ability and don't want him in the cage i can respect that as well

[crispsteez]

Yeah, that was definitely a bit hard to watch. But like bbjd said, Al Turk was holding Kongo in his guard, so it looked like he was trying to intelligently defend himself until the elbows started flying. It certainly could have been stopped sooner, but then you get situations like Koscheck/Thiago, where there is a shadow of doubt cast upon the outcome of the fight.

Being a referee is just a lose-lose situation, it's much easier for us to sit outside of their position and determine what was a good/bad decision.

so true. it's easy to criticize the ref as an outside onlooker, but there's no way i could make the same split-second decisions these guys do on a regular basis. i think dana singling out mazz is kind of unprofessional considering he's not the only ref who makes mistakes.

besides. i kind of like mazz and his pornstar mustache

[MilesHackett]

so true. it's easy to criticize the ref as an outside onlooker, but there's no way i could make the same split-second decisions these guys do on a regular basis. i think dana singling out mazz is kind of unprofessional considering he's not the only ref who makes mistakes.

besides. i kind of like mazz and his pornstar mustache

Completely agree, it's far easier for us to assess whether a mistake was made because we have the benefit of multiple camera angles. These guys don't even get the benefit of instant replay, and I think that with fights like Johnson/Burns 1, video review should factor into the deciding verdict on a controversial fight stoppage.

[cezwan]

its no suprise how i feel about maz.. He has made some poor.. POOR reff'ing decisions..

it just proves this by fighter asking specifically, that he doesnt ref their fights..

good call by dana cutting him..

---------- Post added at 08:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 AM ----------

Completely agree, it's far easier for us to assess whether a mistake was made because we have the benefit of multiple camera angles. These guys don't even get the benefit of instant replay, and I think that with fights like Johnson/Burns 1, video review should factor into the deciding verdict on a controversial fight stoppage.

i for one dont.. these guys are getting paid to do this as a job.. it is fair enough that we can make a more assured remark about how a fight goes down, but if you are paid to ref, a high profile match, it proves that you are one of the best MMA ref's out there..

personally, making mistakes like Maz does over and over again, is completely unacceptable..

[MilesHackett]

i for one dont.. these guys are getting paid to do this as a job.. it is fair enough that we can make a more assured remark about how a fight goes down, but if you are paid to ref, a high profile match, it proves that you are one of the best MMA ref's out there..

personally, making mistakes like Maz does over and over again, is completely unacceptable..

All referees are paid to do their jobs, however, in almost all sports they are not there doing it by themselves. Most referees have assistance, whether it is in the form of linesman or video-reviewers in the press box. If we want more consistent refereeing, there needs to be changes made. Mazzagatti has had some pretty bad luck, but once again, these guys don't see what we get to see. Their positioning isn't always perfect like the viewpoint we're given through the camera lens.

I don't think placing a ban on individuals like Steve Mazzagatti will improve refereeing in fights, as even the best make poor judgments from time to time. If anything, re-training the referees and ESPECIALLY the judges will benefit the sport more than black-listing those who make mistakes.

[bbjd7]

cezwan please give me some examples of these unforgivable mistakes that Maz makes.

[yorT]

In a sport where its subjective, like mma, or wrestling, you can never please everyone. If you stop a fight too soon you get a raking, and if you let it go to far you get a raking.

A fight can end in the blink of an eye, and it's hard to be right there to stop it in a split second. Theres just no way to please everyone.
Yeah this is how I feel as well.

Honestly people are always going to say the fight was stopped to early or the fight was stopped to late. I also think the ref's should know the fighters and wheather they recover quickly (Nog) or not.

[cezwan]

All referees are paid to do their jobs, however, in almost all sports they are not there doing it by themselves. Most referees have assistance, whether it is in the form of linesman or video-reviewers in the press box. If we want more consistent refereeing, there needs to be changes made. Mazzagatti has had some pretty bad luck, but once again, these guys don't see what we get to see. Their positioning isn't always perfect like the viewpoint we're given through the camera lens.

I don't think placing a ban on individuals like Steve Mazzagatti will improve refereeing in fights, as even the best make poor judgments from time to time. If anything, re-training the referees and ESPECIALLY the judges will benefit the sport more than black-listing those who make mistakes.

Yeah, but that’s the thing, Why should they have the luxury of being re-trained when they "should" already be at a high level of refereeing? If a referee is given the privilege of refereeing a high profile fight, say a title fight, don’t you think the fight deserves the best possible referee? Also, don’t you think the organization should, and must pick the best possible referee’s for the task? I for one, think so, and Maz proved, time and time again that he was not up for the task. Its as simple as that..
In my opinion, they should give other referee’s a chance that may be better than them at refereeing, instead of giving the same people, or person’s opportunities over and over when they make crucial mistakes.


cezwan please give me some examples of these unforgivable mistakes that Maz makes.

I’m not saying they are unforgivable, but purely unacceptable. Keep in mind, that these guys are getting paid a substantial amount of money because they are the “best” in their field.

Here are some examples of Maz making a clear bad call:

1. Al-Turk taking some serious damage from Kongo. That was ridiculous. I was kinda making me sick to tell you the truth. Real.. REAL bad call there.
2. Anthony Johnson getting eye poked by Kevin burns: the man nearly lost an eye in that fight. Another prime example of Maz’s bad refereeing.
3. Gonzaga knocking out Josh Hendricks: he was finished but Maz allowed ANOTHER late blow that could of caused serious damage. Terrible call.

I could name more if you would like, and I’m sure others can too. The man shouldn’t be refereeing important fights, as he is not fit to do the job properly.

[bbjd7]

I’m not saying they are unforgivable, but purely unacceptable. Keep in mind, that these guys are getting paid a substantial amount of money because they are the “best” in their field.

Here are some examples of Maz making a clear bad call:

1. Al-Turk taking some serious damage from Kongo. That was ridiculous. I was kinda making me sick to tell you the truth. Real.. REAL bad call there.
2. Anthony Johnson getting eye poked by Kevin burns: the man nearly lost an eye in that fight. Another prime example of Maz’s bad refereeing.
3. Gonzaga knocking out Josh Hendricks: he was finished but Maz allowed ANOTHER late blow that could of caused serious damage. Terrible call.

I could name more if you would like, and I’m sure others can too. The man shouldn’t be refereeing important fights, as he is not fit to do the job properly. It’s as simple as that.

Al-Turk had guard. We have had three examples of refs getting ripped for stopping a fight when the guy was holding onto guard.

That wasn't a horrible stoppage.

The Johnson fight was a dreadful situation however there has never been a situation like that before so it's very hard to expect a ref to handle it right. He warned Burns and probably should've taken a point away but he did warn him and it's hard to expect a guy to handle a situation they've never seen before perfectly.

Gonzaga vs Hendricks wasn't that bad every single ref lets fighters take extra shots once in awhile don't hold Maz to a different standard.

[MilesHackett]

Yeah, but that’s the thing, Why should they have the luxury of being re-trained when they "should" already be at a high level of refereeing? If a referee is given the privilege of refereeing a high profile fight, say a title fight, don’t you think the fight deserves the best possible referee?

Of course, the fighters deserve the best referees possible, but even then there are completely unexpected situations that arise during fights that are quite ambiguous. Not everything is so black and white for referees.

Do you pay attention to the fact the fighter is keeping guard (which signifies that they are protecting themselves, or the fact he is getting punched in the face repeatedly?


Also, don’t you think the organization should, and must pick the best possible referee’s for the task? I for one, think so, and Maz proved, time and time again that he was not up for the task. Its as simple as that..

How about all the times you never noticed him refereeing? I guarantee that Mazz has a lot more good showings that no one gives him credit for, than bad showings which everyone rags on him about.


In my opinion, they should give other referee’s a chance that may be better than them at refereeing, instead of giving the same people, or person’s opportunities over and over when they make crucial mistakes.

Why not just offer a more up-to-date training program? In every profession you have to keep-up with changes in your field, and I don't think refereeing should be any different. I wouldn't fire my employees for making mistakes with software that no one has used before, so why would I fire a referee for making various mistakes that no one else has ever had to deal with in the cage?

I’m not saying they are unforgivable, but purely unacceptable. Keep in mind, that these guys are getting paid a substantial amount of money because they are the “best” in their field.

So are the judges and most of them are far less qualified. The sport needs updated training programs for both referees and judges, not mass-firings.

Here are some examples of Maz making a clear bad call:

1. Al-Turk taking some serious damage from Kongo. That was ridiculous. I was kinda making me sick to tell you the truth. Real.. REAL bad call there.
2. Anthony Johnson getting eye poked by Kevin burns: the man nearly lost an eye in that fight. Another prime example of Maz’s bad refereeing.
3. Gonzaga knocking out Josh Hendricks: he was finished but Maz allowed ANOTHER late blow that could of caused serious damage. Terrible call.

I could name more if you would like, and I’m sure others can too. The man shouldn’t be refereeing important fights, as he is not fit to do the job properly.

Now try and remember how many instances you've seen a Mazz fight where nothing went wrong. You won't remember it, because no one praises these guys when they do a great job. An invisible referee is the best kind of referee.

I really don't think you can blame Mazz for the Johnson fight either, it wasn't his fault that Burns' hand was open while throwing a punch.. it would have happened no matter what. This is the fight that proves why video review of bizarre conclusions should come into the sport.

[Jack]

Mazz get's a lot of unwarranted hate and criticism IMO. He's certainly not the best ref out there but he does a decent enough job to be reffing UFC fights.

I think he's just become an easy target really and cos people have criticised him in the past everyone jumps on the bandwagon and decides that they think he's awful aswell. Not to mention people watch him a lot more closely and point out minor errors on his part that they'd ignore from other refs.

I feel a lot of it is because of the Lesnar - Mir fight TBH. With the ammount of interest Brock generates (and the ammount of hate he gets) a lot of his fans defend him pretty fiercely and use that completely justified standup as an excuse for him losing the fight. The point deduction was a bit much but Mazz clearly warned him and then he hit the back of the head again so he stood him up. Just cos Rogan didn't hear the warning people think it wasn't given but listen closely and it was.

Really though even if Mazzagatti was that bad there's no way Dana should say this sort of shit in public. This is something that should be brought up, privately, to the AC and they can make a judgement on Mazz's capabilities properly and fairly.

Instead what he's trying to do is get him blacklisted from all Zuffa promotions which is not only unproffesional and unethical but also really bad for the sport IMO.

Dana White's done a lot for MMA and I appreciate it, I really do, but lately his ego is on the verge of doing some serious harm to it in my view.

[bbjd7]

Yea I was watching Lawler vs Ninja last night and Mario Yamasaki went that go on to long. Yet he's not being blacklisted.

This is the same Mario Yamasaki who almost cost Matt Hughes the WW title.

Should Dana tell fighters to keep him from reffing?

Dana doesn't want Big John, or Maz. So the three legit refs left are Herb Dean, Yamasaki, and Yves all of whom have made big mistakes in the past as well.

And on the Lesnar thing people say he was being inconsistant or something however in a very similar situation he pulled Frank Shamrock off Baroni and it was the right call just like Lesnar vs Mir was the right call fights shouldn't be finished on punches to the back of the head.

[Flak]

What's the situation with Big John? Let me guess, he left the UFC, and now Dana has black balled him?

[bbjd7]

Dana thinks he said some negative things about the UFC in the past so he doesn't like him. He also has issues with the NSAC from him being a commentator.

Also just a point to everyone the UFC doesn't hire the refs the Athletic commission assigns then to fights.

However fighters can request a ref doesn't ref their fight.

[ThatGuyJae]

Dana thinks he said some negative things about the UFC in the past so he doesn't like him. He also has issues with the NSAC from him being a commentator.

Also just a point to everyone the UFC doesn't hire the refs the Athletic commission assigns then to fights.

However fighters can request a ref doesn't ref their fight.

That is something that i think is very ofen over looked, the UFC doesn't decide who the refs are or even what fights they are to ref.

[bbjd7]

Yea I don't think many people realize how it works.

I remember after their first big show on CBS people were ripping Elite XC for hiring bad refs and I don't think they realized that the NJSAC picked the refs for them and that the UFC would get the same refs if they did a show.

[KJ Brophy]

Like others have said I think Maz gets unwarranted hate and I think like Bazza said it is mostly due to Mir/Lesnar 1. I think if that didn't happen he wouldn't get nearly as much hate as he did.

[Alex_DeLarge]

Maz wasn't part of the 96 madness, but he is the most discussed when it talks about consistent screw-ups. Seriously, even if Yves had a big hiccup, he's still three times the ref Maz is.

[randyspankstito]

I wonder why Randy didnt want Mazzagetti?

Is there any story behind that?

We don't even know for sure that he didn't, all we have is dana flapping that anus he has for a mouth again. He says whatever he wants to say.


I don't think mazzagati is all that bad really, and I had no problem with the Kongo, al-turk stoppage. I thought it was a good stoppage.