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The UFC is home to a legion of officials and referees. They are some of the most highly trained and well-respected professionals. However, since their jobs include officiating high-profile fights and events, their conduct is often evaluated under a microscope.
Fights in a premier promotion like the UFC have a lot hanging in the balance. From unbeaten streaks and championship titles to the health and safety of fighters, athletes put a lot on the line before stepping into the octagon.
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Fighters rely on the wisdom and experience of referees to walk out of the cage with an unbiased and accurate result. However, referees often find themselves on the receiving end of a lot of flak for calling the wrong shots in the octagon. The fact that a fighter's future in the promotion hinges on the decisions of a referee means that tensions often arise.
From disgruntled fighters who believe their fight was called off too soon to higher-ups chastising them for a delay in stepping in to protect a fighter, referees have to deal with a lot of negativity.
While they are accustomed to a certain degree of backlash, there have been instances where their detractors have gone overboard with their criticism.
In this article we take a look at a few instances in which referees developed a bad blood feud with UFC fighters or UFC president Dana White.
#5. UFC president Dana White and referee Chris Tognoni
Referee Chris Tognoni has found himself at the mercy of UFC head honcho Dana White multiple times. White admonished him over a series of incorrect calls and stoppages.
Dana White initially went on a tirade, berating Tognoni for the way his decision flipped the script during a fight between Ed Herman and Mike Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN+ 35.
Tognoni, in the second round of the fight, wrongly identified a clean shot from Rodriguez that dropped Herman as a low blow. This proved to be a turning point as Herman was allowed time to recover. He came back stronger in the third round, forcing Rodriguez to tap out. In the post-fight press conference, White said:
“It’s hard not to bang on this guy. The worst I’ve ever seen. That was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. That kid wins by knockout, technical knockout and loses the fight. It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever seen,” said White in the post-fight press conference.
Chris Tognoni committed a similar blunder in the very next fight, prompting Dana White to consider a change in regulations to deal with frequently faltering referees.
Instead of calling an end to the fight between Sarah Alpar and Jessica Rose-Clark after the latter landed a clean shot, Tognoni offered Alpar time to recuperate. This was because he believed it was an illegal shot. Although Tognoni's error didn't cost the Australian her win like Mike Rodriguez, the fight went on for longer than it should have; thereby attracting the UFC kingpin's wrath. The fight marked yet another loss on Sarah Alpar's record.
Find out: Complete list of the UFC Referees
#4. UFC lightweight Conor McGregor and referee Marc Goddard
The UFC has witnessed Conor McGregor indulging in feuds with countless colleagues and contemporaries. However, his beef with referee Marc Goddard has the wildest of roots. The fact that their clash took place during a fight that was held under the promotional banner of Bellator makes it even stranger.
Marc Goddard was seen in an altercation with Conor McGregor while officiating a fight between Charlie Ward and John Redmond at Bellator 187. The altercation occurred after McGregor jumped into the octagon to celebrate with Ward after he dropped Redmond in the first round.
McGregor went ballistic after Goddard pulled McGregor off his teammate, forcing him out of the cage. Goddard subsequently came out with a post on social media, explaining the entire situation.
The feud between Marc Goddard and Conor McGregor only grew stronger as the instance at Bellator 187 marked their second run in over the course of a few months. Their initial dispute took place at UFC Fight Night 118 after Goddard admonished the Irishman for giving Artem Lobov verbal instructions from outside the cage even though he wasn't an official part of his corner.
#3. UFC president Dana White and referee Steve Mazzagatti
Steve Mazzagatti has frequently been in UFC president Dana White's crosshairs. Mazzagatti has found himself on the chopping block for consistently faltering while officiating fights.
Dana White's contempt for Mazzagatti is such that the fact that he commits errors in other promotions instead of the UFC is enough for White to call him out.
White went on a lengthy tirade, criticizing Mazzagatti after he failed to bring the WSOF 3 fight between Jon Fitch and Josh Burkman to an end on time. The fact that Burkman let go of Fitch after he had passed out before Mazzagatti could step in prompted a lot of people to criticize him. White exclaimed:
"The Nevada State Athletic Commission is going to keep this f—king guy around until he seriously hurt somebody. That guy is dangerous. He's dangerous. It's disgusting. At what point do you realize that this guy is an incompetent fool and he's going to hurt somebody," exclaimed White.
#2. UFC bantamweight Dominick Cruz and Referee Keith Peterson
The dispute between Dominick Cruz and Keith Peterson can be traced back to his fight against Henry Cejudo at UFC 249. 'Triple C' forced the referee to step in seconds before the end of the second round. Cruz, however, criticized Peterson for a premature stoppage that cost him the bantamweight title. He further went on to suggest that Peterson was inebriated while officiating his fight.
"I wish there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible sometimes. The guy smelled like alcohol and cigarettes, so who knows what he was doing. Definitely (he did). I wish they drug tested them. I immediately, when I saw that ref I was like, ‘Man, is there a way to veto a ref and get a new one?’ I wonder that,” said Dominick Cruz.
#1. UFC welterweight Colby Covington and Referee Marc Goddard
Colby Covington is one of, if not the most, controversial fighters in the UFC. Having fought his way to the top of the food chain, he has earned a lot of infamy. He has accumulated more enemies than he has friends over the course of his career.
Across the UFC, it is referee Marc Goddard who has consistently found himself in Colby Covington's bad books. Covington's contempt for Goddard stems from the way Goddard officiated his fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 245.
While in conversation with James Lynch, 'Chaos' alleged preferential treatment, claiming that Goddard offered Usman breaks to gather his bearings at crucial moments in the fight. However, Colby himself was not treated with the same generosity when Usman landed illegal shots. He went on to say that the same would not happen in their upcoming rematch at UFC 268.
