California commission backs referee Herb Dean amid...

By Michael Carter — 22 July 2026 — 3 min read

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) Executive Director, Andy Foster, has expressed strong confidence in veteran mixed martial arts referee Herb Dean, despite recent complaints regarding his officiating. Foster stated that Dean maintains his full confidence and will continue to officiate main events for upcoming UFC fights in California. This comes amidst a period of scrutiny for Dean, who has faced criticism for several calls in high-profile bouts.

One notable instance of criticism stemmed from the fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250. Pereira, known as “Poatan,” claimed to have absorbed illegal blows to the back of the head during the fight, which Gane won by TKO in Round 2. Following this bout, Pereira publicly criticized Dean and initiated a petition to prevent him from officiating future UFC events. Pereira has also reportedly threatened to step away from MMA if Dean continues to officiate high-profile fights.

Reactions to Dean’s Officiating

Foster addressed the controversy surrounding the Gane-Pereira fight, stating he was present and observed the bout in real-time. He described it as a “normal fight” and suggested that the initial knockdown of Pereira was a key moment. Foster acknowledged that some blows landed to the back of Pereira’s head but questioned whether stopping the action in such a high-level fight would have been appropriate, noting that few referees would have intervened.

Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira face off at the UFC 291 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: bjpenn.com

Jan Blachowicz, a former UFC light heavyweight champion and a former rival of Pereira, weighed in on the criticism. Blachowicz, who previously lost to Pereira by split decision at UFC 291, defended the legitimacy of Pereira’s loss to Gane. He suggested that Gane’s controversial blows occurred because he was attempting to finish the fight while Pereira was moving, making it difficult to land strikes precisely. Blachowicz expressed his admiration for Pereira but maintained that his loss to Gane was “completely legitimate.”

The scrutiny on Dean’s performance has also led to changes in his assignments. For example, he was reportedly removed from officiating Conor McGregor’s comeback fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329 at the last minute. Veteran official John McCarthy indicated that the Nevada State Athletic Commission made this decision to protect Dean from further criticism, replacing him with Mike Beltran for the main event. Dean was instead assigned to officiate less prominent bouts at the event, such as Cody Garbrandt’s fight with Adrian Yanez and Cory Sandhagen’s clash against Mario Bautista.

Dean’s Self-Reflection and Commission Support

McCarthy also noted that Dean has been reflecting on his recent performances and considering adjustments to his officiating style. This self-assessment is part of what McCarthy described as a “growing process” for an official. Despite the public backlash and changes in fight assignments, Foster’s statement underscores the CSAC’s continued support for Dean.

Referee Herb Dean seen in the Octagon during the UFC 322 event at Madison Square Garden Credit: irishstar.com

Foster emphasized that criticism of referees like Dean or Marc Goddard is not always fair, but he acknowledged that being a referee is inherently a challenging role. The CSAC’s stance ensures that Dean will remain a prominent figure in UFC events held in California, with the promotion scheduled to return for UFC 331 on September 19 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.