Nevada denying Big John McCarthy a referee licence wreaks of personal agenda to the detriment of the sport.
Mixed martial arts is rife with revelations that prove detrimental to its fans and the sport itself. Another case in point is one of Tuesday's headlines.
According to Sherdog.com, Big John McCarthy's application earlier this month to referee in the state of Nevada was not granted but rather placed in a “pending file” along with other would-be applicants. He did not receive the seal of approval from one of the leading athletic commissions in the business, which is what he deserves.
The unfortunate news of Big John's application being treated like "everyone else" wreaks of personal agenda as opposed to doing what's right for the sport, the fighters and its fans.
All commissions that sanction MMA are on the lookout for liability -- they do not want a bad case scenario (e.g. death during competition) to fall onto their laps, so the best way to protect themselves is -- or should be -- to hire the best, most qualified officials and judges.
To brush aside the best referee in the business -- the man who is the template that all other referees follow -- goes deeper than following commission protocol. It is no secret that there is no love lost between the commission, the UFC and Big John McCarthy. But the time has come for all parties to put aside the past, work together to get over whatever issues are preventing the best referee from doing his job, and move forward.
We've all made mistakes. We learn from them and hope to get a second chance. Big John McCarthy more than deserves a second chance to get back in there and demonstrate again how reffing an MMA bout is supposed to happen. The Nevada State Athletic Commission decision-makers have made mistakes in the past and I believe they are doing it again. They are the best at what they do, so they should continue to do so. I'm sure their panel of commissioners has screwed up before, but I'm sure with proper recourse, all was forgiven and a new chapter was written.
I am personally surprised that some of the fighters, both newcomers to the Octagon as well as the old guard, are not speaking out about this. It is they who sacrifice their bodies and reputations within all arenas of combat who should be the ones to speak up and say, "Hey... I want the best possible referee to officiate my bouts."
All managers, agents, promoters, media and fans should all lobby to make sure the sport of MMA is officiated and judged properly. There should be a demand put in place that all members of the Association of Boxing Commissions mandate that all officials and judges who are licensed to work are qualified to the highest degree.
There are still those who starkly oppose anything and everything to do with mixed martial arts. There are various media fanctions that are salivating, just waiting for a death to occur in a major MMA event. While there are many precautions already in place (e.g. blood tests, EKG, ECG, etc.) one of the best ways to prevent something bad from happening during an MMA fight is to have qualifed officials.
It's been happening far too frequently -- fights being stopped too late, and heck, even fights being stopped too soon. Officials need to make split-second decisions and must position themselves accordingly to see what is happening in the fight. I know this first-hand having gone through the C.O.M.M.A.N.D. Course and passing it was not an easy task. In doing my own research post-graduation, I can tell you flat out that the vast majority of judges and referees in the sport of MMA today would not pass this gold standard litmus test.
The time has come for all parties who are a part of the NSAC, Big John, UFC and other promoters to put aside personal opinion and do what's best for the sport, its fighters and its fans. Work with one another to clear the air, right the wrongdoings and reset the foundation so this ludicrous situation can finally end. It's time to write a new chapter!
Misc. MMA News and Notes
If you missed Chuck Liddell's debut on Dancing With The Stars, check out these videos of The Iceman doing the Fox Trot and the Salsa Relay. UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta joined president Dana White in the front row to cheer Liddell on. One thing's for sure: I like to get my groove on, but Chuck is a way better dancer than I will ever be.
Who says the UFC doesn't listen to their fans? We can all recall the backlash the organization received when the UFC 103 main event was supposed to be a rematch between Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson. Fans and media voiced their displeasure and the main event was changed to Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort.
Now comes the news that after nearly being cut from the organization at UFC 103, an overwelming groundswell of support to keep Frank Trigg in the organziation has given "Twinkle Toes" one last kick at the can. Trigg has not been cut and will be given one more fight to prove he still has what it takes. Good on the UFC and best of luck to Trigg.
