McCarthy Not Assigned to UFC 104

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(Sherdog via BloodyElbow)

 














McCarthy Not Assigned to UFC 104
 








McCarthy Not Assigned to UFC 104

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

by Jason Probst (jprobst@sherdog.com)





Referee “Big” John McCarthy will be conspicuously absent from UFC 104 this Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The 15-year officiating veteran, who’s logged in nearly 600 fights worldwide dating back to UFC 2 and has a long background in helping shape the sport’s current rules, was not assigned by the California State Athletic Commission to work the event.



McCarthy, a California native, has been re-licensed in the state since November 2008, after returning from a yearlong retirement to pursue broadcasting opportunities. McCarthy has refereed and judged at multiple events in California this year.



McCarthy was also informed in mid-September that his application to referee fights in Nevada would be placed in a “pending” file by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer said the state had no space for McCarthy at this time.



However, that decision has prompted public comment speculating if McCarthy’s departure from officiating UFC events in late 2007 to work with rival promotions like Affliction as a commentator, along with statements he made while in that position, are being held against him.



“I contacted (the CSAC) and told them I was free on Oct. 24,” McCarthy told Sherdog.com Friday. McCarthy said he was later informed that he hadn’t been assigned to the event, the UFC’s first in California since UFC 76 in November 2007. McCarthy did not comment any further on the development.



Dave Thornton, interim executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission, replied to an email request from Sherdog last Thursday inquiring about criteria for referees to officiate UFCs and how those officials are selected to work shows.



“McCarthy is a licensed referee in California and as such is on our regular rotation list for MMA refs,” Thornton wrote. “McCarthy is assigned to a Strikeforce show in November in Fresno.”



Follow-up inquiries were sent Thursday and Monday to the CSAC’s Thornton asking for more specific criteria about who is assigned to referee UFCs, if McCarthy met the criteria, as well as which referees have been assigned to UFC 104. Those inquiries were not answered as of press time late Tuesday.


  

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the baldfather strikes again

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If Dana were going to shut out some refs, I would think he would shut out Mazzagatti, whom he publicly rants about after practically every event.

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"We have no control over the refs or judges, that's the commission"

Riiiightt....

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edubbs - "We have no control over the refs or judges, that's the commission"

Riiiightt....


Ufc has the right to refuse a ref if they believe there is a conflict of interest.

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I thought the promoters are allowed to suggest refs. Didn't Yuji Shimada and other Japanese refs participate in the USA PRIDEs?

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The NSAC functionally answers to nobody. Neither does the CSAC. It's not like the governor gives a shit as long as money is coming in from the sport.

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^lol, nice pic

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lol ^^^^

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 I only want the best refs for UFCs anyway, so this in good news.

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orcus - If Dana were going to shut out some refs, I would think he would shut out Mazzagatti, whom he publicly rants about after practically every event.


This is the only reason I don't think Dana or the UFC had anything to do with it...

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Reading comprehension: He's not licensed in Nevada and elsewhere.
"
Conspicuously absent? We haven't seen him in the octagon for years. Leave it to Sherdog to start some shit.
"

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Just wait, big dan will be there meaning they passed over the best ref in the business for the worst. Fucking Dana.

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BigWilliam - Just wait, big dan will be there meaning they passed over the best ref in the business for the worst. Fucking Dana.


 Hey hey hey



you watch your mouth.



Dana is a FAN of the sport first.



He's pointed it out several times, if you think that Dan is a worse ref than Big John, you're clearly not on the same mma page as dana.



he's looking out for the sport and safety of fighters, that's his main concern.