Issue 076

June 2011

From illegal strikes to eye gouging it’s the referee’s job to maintain order in the Octagon

Marc Goddard

UFC referee

Each issue UFC referee Marc Goddard brings fight fans the ref’s side of the story

Fouls – intentional or other wise. What is the process that we follow? I have recenlty touched on some examples and instances of high-profile scenarios and just why a referee may adopt a certain procedure. Common infringements like grabbing the shorts and holding onto the fence are generally dealt with a swift verbal interception without stopping the action and fighters are allowed to continue freely without further hindrance. What about fouls that warrant a referee’s direct action, and in particular may bring a halt, temporarily or otherwise to a fight?

Examples are errant blows like groin strikes, eye pokes and illegal strikes such as kicks or knees to the head of a grounded fighter (a fighter with anything other than the soles of the feet in contact with the canvas). This will, in almost all cases, call for the referee halt the action and this is for several reasons. Firstly, so the fouled fighter be given the respite he deserves as they may not, due to the illegal blow, be in a position to defend themselves. The damage the illegal blow may have caused is then assessed; often the ringside physician will be called upon for expert medical advice. A fouled contestant may be given up to five minutes to recuperate. Sure, this does mean a fighter may well use his/her allotted time to the maximum, but in almost all cases the fight is restarted within this time frame. In such instances, where a fighter may have received a direct strike to the head deemed as a foul blow, it is imperative that medical advice and opinion is sought to ascertain that no hidden or potentially serious injury has occurred that a referee may not see at first glance. Once a medical expert has given their opinion that a fighter will continue (if they so choose to) then a referee is well within his/her right and must ask a fighter directly if he can continue with the contest.

This action serves more than one purpose. A fighter can and will (and this has often been the case) opt not to continue with the bout. The fight is then stopped immediately and the outcome will rely on whether the referee deemed the foul intentional or unintentional. If it is the former then the fouled fighter will win the bout via disqualification, should it be the case the fight ending foul was deemed unintentional and depending on which round the fight ended, this may result in either a no contest or technical decision (the topic of technical decisions is one best kept for another day). It is also wildly misunderstood just why a referee will ask a fighter directly if he wishes to continue or not. This is done, calling upon all of the experience of the referee, to look firmly into a fighter’s eyes. We judge coherency, demeanor and stability as he answers. If I had a split second’s doubt in my mind of the mental state of a fighter when he answers my question then I will call a stop to that contest without hesitation. If the fighter opts to continue then a referee will asses the nature of the foul as intentional or not and deduct points as and where necessary before restarting the bout. If a doctor, in their medical opinion, deems the fighter to be at undue risk should the fight continue then the fight should be waved off without question. 

There is much common misunderstanding regarding the correct and proper application of the Unified Rules should such instances as I describe arise. One thing is for sure, a referee’s number-one priority is the welfare of a fighter, but the outcome and application of such must be played out within the confines of the rules. 

Q&A

Is there any rule about touching gloves at the beginning of a fight?

I actually get asked this quite a lot. When a referee addresses fighters before the bout commences you will always hear us say along the lines of “protect yourself at all times.” This includes the immediate start of a bout after a referee has given his command to fight. It is an uncommon occurrence for a fighter to strike immediately at his opponent should they wish to touch gloves, however, this does not contravene any of the Unified Rules of MMA so as such a referee is powerless to intervene should a fighter wish to do so. There is also no hard and fast rule that two fighters must touch gloves before the start of a bout, usually during the final stare down, while taking final instructions form the referee. Protect yourself at all times!

Do referees get pre-fight butterflies like fighters?

Sure I do! When you are on the other side of the world with a sold-out arena of 20,000 and millions watching all around the globe it is only too natural to have some pre-fight tension. This I find keeps me on my toes and I would be a little worried should I not feel like this.