Our Thoughts on Referee Fight Stoppages in MMA

[1800shit]

nice...born of osiris

[knatedogg07]

agreed with the last point, fighters definately want to have closure and having some "ifs" and "maybe's" in their losses/wins can definately give them the wrong impression of how good [or bad] they really are. very good point to lean on the dangerous side.

[AtlantaStoner420]

great idea, about having multiple referees.

[sneakyfuckinrussian]

great videos guys. but they would be even better if you could include relevant video clips while you are talking about the fights because they are not always accessible on youtube.

not sure if you cant do that for legal reasons or whatever but it would be cool.

[AndrewCopland]

Before that stoppage Amir was undefeated I think, which sucks a bit. If you're going to get a loss on your record it should be one worth getting. I agree with you guys.

Any chance you'll be commenting on Forrest Griffin's leaving the cage early after his match with Anderson Silva? Would love to hear your thoughts. As far as I'm aware Forrest hasn't issued any comment yet.

[osbornemccarty]

Our next video is going to be about Forrest leaving the cage. Are you psychic? LOL :-)

[FatBoi8675309]

i have to disagree with you that one fight can shatter a career. look at anyone whose rebounded from a loss with a big win (jardine, rampage, early liddell) especially champions. look at gsp. loses to matt sera, wins two fights, then tkos sera to win the belt. or ace. same scenario, accept silva killed him in the rematch.

[reefinit]

torres is a warrior cant wait to see him win his belt back ... redemption miguel

[Aramiak]

I'd rather have the odd poor stoppage in MMA than transfer to a system where the fighters team are encouraged to throw in the towell when ever they feel slightly nervous (like in boxing). But i do agree that stoppages need to be sorted out, i would suggest that all fighters sign a pre-fight disclaimer sheet relinquishing the ref of any injury related responsibility, allowing the refs to be more tolerant when a fighter is facing an onslaught. Brutality MAKES mma, it isnt meant to be safe.

[kanguesso]

i respect your openion but i'd have to disagree with you. "Brutality" does not make mma. although the sport can be brutal at times, but it is not what makes the sport as whole. actually, that is a very primitive perspective to have. Skill and dicipline makes the sport. remember, it is mixed martial arts. skill, dicipline and fortitude is the center of any martial art dicipline. safety is what guaranteed the UFC 16 years without serious injury or death. Safety is what kept them on TELEVISION.

[Aramiak]

If safety related rules ban any aspect of a martial art, you are no longer watching mma... you are watching sma (selective martial arts). I've had to drop entire disciplines from my training because rules ban the majority of its respective techniques. Safety might get it on tv, it might allow for mainstream audience... but it also stops it being Mixed Martial Arts. You took what i said i little more literally than intended! Of course brutality doesn't make mma, but it is integral to it.

[kanguesso]

i am glad you clarified your previous point and i do know what you mean. but i was not just refering to safety in the sense of banning certain aspects of a martial art because that would actually qualify as SMA as you put it. i was mostly refering to safety in the sense of early stoppages, knees to downed opponent and so forth. you can implement safety that way without actually taking anything away from the dicipline itself, woudn't you agree?

[Aramiak]

Yeah i think i would agree tbf. If i'm to put bias out of my brain. I think i don't like safety conscious mma cos every fighter fears that situation where your fine and all of a sudden you're out for TKO? It's never happened to me but it's a fear. Especially when your ground game is your weakness! I guess, the answer is implementing safety measures but for the sake of mixed martial artists... training referee's better too? To stop bad decisions bringing the sport down. But yeah, i agree with yuz

[jaeboogie85]

excellent coverage guys i respect you 100% i think you guys should have some sort of show on espn or mma channel

[MMATalkTV]

Nice topic guys. Good coverage.

[ChokedOut18]

Sweet Joe Rogan shirt

[dirtydodger]

HA!

[xxafijrxx]

i love you guys....but wtf, were you going to a wedding or a funeral here?

[incidental74]

What's up with the attire? :-)

Multiple refs would be logistically difficult. UFC fights are too fast with continuous action. However, they do need to do something about bad stoppages where the fighter gets poked in the eye or something like that, and the ref doesn't see it - a la Anthony Johnson and Kevin Burns I. Those kinds of fights need some sort of instant replay system like football or basketball to ensure the fight's integrity.

[scatterbra]

Great vid guys. Best ref call i've seen was Herb Dean's stoppage in Silva vs. Mir (Silva's arm breaking in an armbar). He didn't tap but in my book broken bones means a stoppage, the fighters health is in serious question.

[pelopota]

multiple refs?? the ocatagon is small enough as it is

[Crazyguy151]

first off great vid. I like the idea of multiple refs. A good stoppage is Rich Franklin vs Ken Shamrock and an example of a late stoppage would be Matt Brown vs Pete Sell.

[blibby13]

What are your guys thoughts on the Coleman Rua stop?

[RandomAccountGuy]

yves lavigne is by far the most god awful ref in mma

[brysonz]

Great topic. Maybe they should allow a replay if there is a dispute. You can't blame refs for a bad angle cause things do happen so quickly. If the ref is wrong and I am sure they know it, it's not like they can so oops I made a mistake let's start that over again. They put too much pressure on the refs getting things correct. If the ref knows he can stop it and if he is wrong they can restart the clock I think that would make a huge difference. Implement the replay and all is good.

[aledelpiero100]

kk no offence everything that u ppl talked about was pointless and logical dunt make n e more videos

[osbornemccarty]

Care to elaborate?

[9272madman]

If buddy is screaming at the top of his lungs i see it as a stoppage...in an armbar anyways. Alowwing a guy to fight with broken bones is the difference between sport and spectacle, they aren't animals, and even if they were it'd be inhumane

[xpprouser]

This show should be called 3 guys that are not getting laid tonight.

[osbornemccarty]

LOL...2 of us are married and one is engaged...keep telling yourself that.

[Hanzo465]

herb dean and mario yamasaki are my fav refs :)

[SinCityMadman]

Amir=bad stoppage

Chuck VS Rampage=good stoppage

Bottom line...the ref says protect your self at all times...if you don't, then expect to lose the fight.

[poolboyinla]

Soddollah-Hendricks was not that bad of a stoppage. The ref had to make a judgement call and it is their responsibility to make sure no one gets hurt. Better to stop it too early than too late.

It looked bad for Soddollah. The ref made a judgement call and this way Soddollah can come back and fight another day.

[poolboyinla]

Mazzagotti is clearly biased. Watch the Mir-Lesnar 1.

[rayalvarado24]

i think a few more refs out side the ring would be good, much like a sideline ref. they could help make those difficult calls, or overturn certain call such as when a point is taken or should be taken...but with the ring ref. being the head ref??

[kain12343]

The idea of multiple refs outside of the cage makes so much sense. The only problem comes if the refs argue about decision making. If the fight needs to be stopped, and one ref disagrees, this gives a larger window for a fighter to get injured. And it gives alot more room for excuse making and law suits about premature stoppages. But I loved what Miguel Torres said, thats a true fighter. Not that I'm one to talk : P

[EBWReturns]

Great video as always guys.

[OntarioNorth]

I disagree about the Amir Hendrix fight being a bad stoppage. Why? Because Amir was actually on all fours for some time trying to rise to his feet, all while Hendrix was swinging away. I think most fighters would have dropped to guard in an affort to avoid being in such a vulnerable position. What does this show? It shows that Amir was not thinking straight nor defending himself intelligently. I do agree that the ref was in a bad position, but I really can't fault that stoppage.

[rick100000]

yeah the ufc needs big john back keep on makin dis great videos u guys r really funny n down to earth keep it up

ANYBODY DAT WANTS BIG JOHN BACK IN DA UFC GIVE ME AN HELL YEAH!

[xAustin21x]

Hell Yeah!

[waydow89]

agree with you 100 percent...u guys are probly the most down to earth mma guys i ever seen! i enjoy whatchinh yhall keep it up! we need to big john back but herb deans been doing good tho..

[HFC11492]

I said this on Chase's video to.

We need Big John back...he never screwed things up.

We should just clone him...make like 10 Big Johns and have them ref everything

Herb Deans good to...lets clone him to.

[rabidgnome]

Im a Big John Mcarthy nut hugger, i think people should learn from him, he circles fighters while there on the ground to get all angles.

[EbopAllDay]

bradley vs nover was also questionable

[TheJoshAmbrose]

You should do a video on bad Decisions victories in mma thats been happening lately.

[MrUltimateTKO]

(PhantomUFCfan) aka Chase has good Clinch work and comes from ATT! (sarasm) O____o

[Eigh8Thechosenone]

5 star video btw!

[Eigh8Thechosenone]

REF's ARE LIKE COPS! they have a split second to make a decision. And after that the whole world has years to break down everything. I KNOW...you like that sh.t dont you?

[JamesBeam420]

First thing UFC could do to improve the quality of refereeing is FIRE DAN MIRGLIOTTA. That guy is never in position to see what's going on, and has screwed up WAY too many fights it seems. Seriously, that guy sucks. Off the top of my head, he's screwed up the Cro Cop Al Turk fight, The Hendrix Amir fight, the Kimbo Thompson fight .. The Vera Werdum fight .. That's just off the top of my head .. I could google and get like 10 -20 more that he's screwed the pooch on.

[usagiyojimbo82]

I think the ref should still have control. If replays and do-overs are going to be apart of it, I don't want no part of it. Some calls are bad sure, but if a guy is getting hammered and the fight starts over cause a replay. Do you start the fight standing or in the same position like pride? how is this fair for the fighter who has, or looks like he has good position. Let the refs go.

[ASCowns]

I think the perfect stop to a fight was HENDO and THE COUNT FAGULA fight. Hendo knocks him out and then throws a flying hammer fist to shut him up! Great fight. If any one doesn't agree, watch the fight tonight on spike, then tell me different! Great video guys! Make a prediction video on STRIKEFORCE CARANO vs CYBORG!

[dblainer21]

One of ure best videos yet guys... well thought out topic... I like the err on the side of danger... You've never heard a fighter complain about a late stoppage...

[andrewleong4]

war torres! hes a boy!!!

[metlhed77]

The multiple refs idea is a great idea, never thought about that. But also Idk if u guys heard about this but I heard that at the last NSAC meeting they've decided to let refs check the end of the fight in a instant replay. They said when it passed the refs could use it immediately in any mma event so hopefully we see that in the next UFC ppv. I figure that would be very fair to at least determine the fight a no contest if the ref decides he made a mistake. Keep up the bad ass vids guys!

[dusanmandic25]

you guys are awesome!

i hope that someday you guys will be prediction my fights!

[petan12345]

Keep up the good work lads!

More communication with the fighters !

[PSYCH0Snip3r7]

I like your idea of multiple refs

[Steadno]

Safety first!