At UFC 317, veteran referee Herb Dean had a close view of a striking finish during the preliminary middleweight bout between Gregory Rodrigues and Jack Hermansson. Rodrigues secured a powerful knockout by landing a punch that immediately rendered Hermansson unconscious on the canvas.
Adding to the distressing nature of the finish was a follow-up strike delivered by Rodrigues after Hermansson was already defenseless. This disturbing sequence prompted reactions from mixed martial arts professionals, who noted Rodrigues’ formidable power and raised questions about the timing of Dean`s intervention.
Among those commenting was UFC middleweight Eryk Anders, who stated concisely on Twitter, “Herb Dean has lost a step.”
This incident contributes to ongoing scrutiny surrounding Dean, an official with extensive experience who has faced increased criticism in recent years. Past controversies include UFC commentator Joe Rogan`s critique of Dean for urging more action during the main event of UFC 306, and former UFC commentator Dan Hardy`s widely publicized disagreement over a perceived late stoppage call in July 2020.
