Issue 084

January 2012

The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be? What really makes an official the greatest

An MMA referee for 12 years, Mario Yamasaki has black belts in judo and BJJ and refereed the jiu-jitsu Pan-Am Games

Those of you who are regular readers of Fighters Only know that every year this magazine presents the annual World MMA Awards. These awards are given to various individuals in the MMA community who are judged to be the best in their respective fields. Not surprisingly, since almost every field is covered, there is even a category for referee. In conjunction with these awards, I felt it timely to discuss in this month’s column on what it means to be ‘the best’ in terms of an MMA referee.

The term ‘best’ is thrown out quite liberally in the sport of MMA. We know who the best fighters are, because their performance is evaluated on win-loss records and against how well they do against certain opponents. We know what the best MMA events are because those are the ones that draw the most viewers and are judged according to the revenues that are generated and the quality of the fights that are showcased. 

Fighters routinely say that they want to be officiated by the best referees in the sport, and promoters want the best referees working their events to avoid any controversies occurring. Athletic commissions also state that they license only the best officials and assign them to the shows they regulate. 

Despite everyone wanting the best referees, the term is still subjective. Many use it without giving it much thought. Let’s try to define it more clearly, as it applies to being an MMA referee. I want to give you Mario’s interpretation. These are my own opinions, as the winners of the Fighters Only World MMA Awards are decided by the fans there is no official judging criteria as to who picks up the trophy. Here are my components of what it means to be the best referee:

CONSISTENCY

There are going to be times when as a referee you have a bad day. I have had them, my colleagues have had them and bad days will always be part of this sport – or any other sport for that matter. That being said, the overall performance of a referee should be consistently good, with bad days being few and far between. This seems pretty obvious. If a referee (or any official), as a matter of routine makes poor decisions in the cage, then their dependability in terms of being a consistently good official is going to always be a problem. No one likes to wonder before a match if the referee is going to be on top of his or her game that night because of inconsistencies in past shows. Everyone likes to depend on officials who have been consistent in the past with a strong performance in terms of officiating. The best fighters generally maintain a strong record; the same should hold true for the best referees. 

APPLIED KNOWLEDGE

There are many individuals who are knowledgeable about MMA. These individuals can quote facts, discuss the sport’s history or expound on the numerous techniques and strategies of any fighter in MMA. These are all forms of knowledge but as a referee the thing which is most important is what is called ‘applied knowledge.’ For example, knowing the rules of MMA is one thing, being able to apply them during the course of live combat is another thing altogether. Applied knowledge, especially while under stress, is a critical skill of any top referee. The best referees make this skill look easy, but that’s what makes them the best. 

DECISIVENESS

Coupled with applied knowledge is being decisive. Hesitation is not something a referee wants to get into the habit of doing, because it shows both a lack of confidence and a lack of competence. If you have the skills as a referee to be in the cage as an official in the first place, then you also have to depend on, and trust those talents. This is being decisive. Action can be very fast in MMA and when you miss calls because you can’t make a decision you are a disservice to the athletes and the sport. Athletes, athletic commissions, promoters and fans depend on you to make decisions in an effective and timely manner. The best referees are also the decisive ones.

FAIRNESS

Every athletic commission we work for reiterates time and again for us not to be a fan of the sport. What this means is that as a referee we do not think like a fan; we must think as a regulator of the sport. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who wins or who loses in the mind of an official, what only matters is that we have done our job to the best of our abilities. Being the best means focusing on our mandate, which is to protect the fighter and not concern ourselves with worrying or offering opinions about who wins a given match. 

THE ABILITY TO LEARN

At the end of every match, a referee needs to analyze his or her own performance. You need to know what you did well, what you did badly and what you could improve upon. Additionally, you need to be able to receive fair criticism about your performance, and then take the necessary steps to improve yourself as a referee. The best referees are always looking at becoming better and will constantly strive to develop themselves and hone their skills to be more effective. The sport is evolving, and a referee needs to always evolve with the sport. You don’t get to be the best by looking at your past accomplishments; you need to always look to the future about how to consistently better yourself.

This is some of my own criteria as to what it means to be the best referee. Some of my colleagues and I were up for ‘Best Referee’ this year. In my opinion, every referee in that category displayed the same criteria I have mentioned above when they stepped into the ring or cage to officiate. That’s what makes them all contenders for the award.

Any official in MMA – regardless of if they are up for an award, or whether they get the privilege of officiating in some of the biggest matches in history – should adopt the attitude of wanting to be the best. Nihil sed optimum is Latin and translates to ‘nothing but the best.’ It’s the defining attitude that should be expected of any official during any event: whenever an official steps into the cage they must know in their heart they are the best, and have the skills and attitude to be there. Live that attitude.