Referee Jason Herzog speaks out on backlash following controversial UFC Louisville main event stoppage
Referee Jason Herzog has spoken out after being at the center of controversy following UFC Louisville.
It’s rare that you see fans criticizing Herzog in unison, but that’s exactly what happened at the conclusion of this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night. Herzog was the official inside the Octagon for the main event middleweight fight between Nassourdine Imavov and Jared Cannonier.
In the fourth round, Imavov had Cannonier hurt. “The Killa Gorilla” was wobbly, but he still fought back. Cannonier threw strikes and tried grabbing his opponent. Despite remaining in the fight, Herzog decided he had seen enough and waved the fight off for the widely panned stoppage.
Referee Jason Herzog Responds to Backlash Following UFC Louisville
Jason Herzog took to his X account to respond to those who have heavily criticized him for his decision to stop the Imavov vs. Cannonier fight.
I get it. I know what I was seeing in the moment, but I've gotten enough feedback telling me I need to reevaluate, so I will. https://t.co/YwbIg9Mbdh
— Jason Herzog (@JasonHerzogMMA) June 9, 2024
“I get it. I know what I was seeing in the moment, but I’ve gotten enough feedback telling me I need to reevaluate, so I will,” Herzog wrote.
It’s a tough break for Cannonier, who is 40 years old and knows that time is running out on winning UFC gold. Cannonier went 2-0 since losing a UFC middleweight title fight against Israel Adesanya back in 2022.
What “The Killa Gorilla” will do next remains to be seen, but if he’s going to stick around in the fight game he’ll want to face a big enough name that will get him back in the title conversation as soon as possible.
As for Imavov, he has turned his attention to ex-UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Imavov dropped a unanimous decision to Strickland back in early 2023. Their encounter was a light heavyweight matchup, and Imavov is hoping to get some revenge at 185 pounds.
