LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: In this handout image provided by UFC, (R-L) Katlyn Chookagian punches Cynthia Calvillo in their women's flyweight bout during the UFC 255 event at UFC APEX on November 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Herb Dean seemed to have stopped the Amanda Ribas vs Marina Rodriguez fight only to restart it
The first UFC PPV of 2021 had a lot of drama and controversy with Herb Dean playing a role in it.
This happened in the first fight of the main card with Marina Rodriguez taking on Amanda Ribas. The first round went by without much of an issue but the second round had a big moment.
Ribas was knocked hard thanks to a right punch from Rodriguez. The Brazilian then went in for the kill and Dean came in between the fighters and it seemed the fight was over.
Rodriguez was also celebrating a bit but the referee let the fight go on. The Brazilian was upset over this but didn’t let Ribas to get back into the fight.
She finished her opponent off after a bit but this could have been bad for Rodriguez if Ribas came back.
Rodriguez claimed that she was ready to fight even after the confusion from Dean and she was willing to take on someone from the top 5.
The job of an MMA referee is extremely difficult and this was another tough moment for Dean. He has been involved in some of the biggest fights in UFC history and would have been part of some controversies.
Katlyn Chookagian hit out at Dean and claimed that he looked confused most of the time:
However, it has to be noted that Dean has been attacked in the past for calling fights off earlier than usual. It is difficult to be a referee and this was another example of that.
Dean is still one of the best ever to have taken up the ref’s job, and he was just trying to ensure that Ribas had a chance of getting back in the clash.
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