Issue 061
April 2010
First, let me start by saying hi to everyone. I am pleased, enthused and very much looking forward to developing this new feature over the coming issues. Ambiguity aside, please allow me to introduce myself to the readers who may not be familiar with me or my work.
Fans of MMA most probably know me best as a referee for the UFC, but my background and experience is greater than it may appear. I have been fortunate enough to watch the sport of MMA grow, never more so than the last two to three years in particular. I say fortunate as I am one of many people who have had the chance to grow in tandem with the current phenomenon that is MMA.
The evolution of this sport, its perception and growth, has charged forward at a frightening rate. From my own first personal involvement of this ‘craze’, watching (then competing on) early hybrid fledging shows with mats as fighting arenas and a few friends in the crowd, to sell-out arenas, global TV and today’s modern MMA superstars – all wrapped up along the way with some unforgettable events, stories and memories. I have seen it all and I feel privileged to have done so.
My earliest exposure to MMA was a common one. My then-next-door neighbour (who was a traditional ju-jitsu instructor) handed me some tapes. “You’ve got to see this,” he exclaimed. The tapes were of the first couple of UFC events and, as I sat and watched, like many I was instantly hooked, particularly by the grappling and ground fighting. This young, skinny guy who I thought was going to get murdered took down and submitted his opponents time after time. I began training again this time. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward over the last ten years and I have resigned myself to concentrating on refereeing and coaching, leaving behind many competition highs (and lows!) in both MMA and submission grappling. I have been most fortunate to have met, fought, trained, coached and shared so much with so many great and truly inspirational people from all over the world, and the memories are mine forever (along with my own belts, trophies, medals, posters, memorabilia and media articles). I will be able to sit and recollect many a repetitive fireside tale with my grandchildren: “Did I ever tell you about the time I...?”
The whole official and coaching thing is what currently suits me best, satisfying my own personal obsessive-compulsive nature that all things must be correct and proper. I have grafted over the years and carved out a reputation as a referee on shows up and down the country. Having seen, or at least thinking I had seen, as close to ‘it all’ as possible, I do still occasionally get shocked and surprised every now and then, but I will save that for the book!
One thing that definitely stood me out from the crowd was my competitive experience. Each and every single emotion that a fighter is going through I understand in its entirety, as I trod those very same boards before them. I have experienced, competed, dissected and taught most facets of today’s modern MMA game, and that I understand what is going on in front of me, both technically and (perhaps more importantly) psychologically, has put faith before me.
My role as a referee is greatly varied and often wildly misunderstood, as are most officials in most sports. One thing I really do hope to achieve with this feature in future issues is to help the MMA coach, fighter, manager and fan understand the decisions that I or my colleagues may have made. This will give you an education and some insight into the rule set, so that you can apply that to an incident or fight that you may question. We are often damned if we do and damned if we don’t, and there is nothing I would like more than to blur that line.
One thing I would very much like to do is get some communication going with you, the readers. Please do feel free to contact me with your questions and suggestions, and, along with the development of the editor, I will gladly try and accommodate them into my monthly feature. I think this will be a fun feature to pursue, and it will be my primary aim to share with you guys what goes on in the life of an MMA referee.
Stay safe and be lucky, until next time,
Marc.
