While widely recognized as one of the most experienced and respected referees in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Herb Dean also had a brief but notable professional fighting career before stepping into the Octagon solely as an official.
Dean has been a fixture in the UFC for nearly three decades, overseeing many of the sport`s biggest moments, including the highly publicized clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor at UFC 229.
His debut as a UFC referee came at UFC 47, an event headlined by the grudge match between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, which ended with a spectacular knockout by Liddell in the second round.
Interestingly, his final professional victory in mixed martial arts occurred *after* he had already begun officiating in the UFC. Before committing full-time to refereeing, Dean was an active fighter competing on regional circuits.
Herb Dean`s Background as an MMA Fighter Before His Officiating Legend
Looking to rebound from a previous knockout loss, Dean faced Tim Mendoza in a heavyweight bout at King of the Cage 39 in August 2004. The fight featured two promising prospects at the time.
Dean wasted no time asserting control, quickly initiating a clinch seconds into the fight. He secured a significant takedown against Mendoza and followed up with devastating ground and pound that immediately put his opponent in difficulty.
Mendoza appeared visibly exhausted by the end of the first round due to Dean`s relentless pressure and grappling dominance. Dean maintained his intensity in the second round.
Dean landed a hard leg kick that clearly wobbled Mendoza. Midway through the round, he transitioned into a Thai clinch and delivered a brutal knee to Mendoza`s chin. The fight concluded when Dean connected with a powerful left hook that dropped Mendoza against the cage, prompting the referee to halt the contest.
This victory over Mendoza marked Dean`s final win as a professional fighter. Subsequent losses and a significant eye injury ultimately led him to dedicate his career full-time to refereeing.
More than two decades later, Dean remains a highly respected official in MMA, though even seasoned referees occasionally face scrutiny, as seen recently at UFC 317.
Recent Controversies Involving Herb Dean
At UFC 317, Dean was involved in a controversy during Gregory Rodrigues` knockout win over Jack Hermansson. Some analysts felt Dean was slow to stop the fight after Hermansson was rendered unconscious.
He also faced criticism from commentators like Joe Rogan for his officiating during Merab Dvalishvili`s fight with Sean O`Malley at UFC 306, particularly regarding his calls for Dvalishvili to increase output while controlling the ground game.
Even UFC CEO Dana White, who has referred to Dean as the `gold standard,` has had disagreements with him over the years regarding his calls.
Now aged 54, Dean continues his officiating career and still trains MMA during his downtime. As the footage of his fighting days shows, testing his skills in the cage is likely still a bad idea for anyone.
