“Big” John McCarthy scolds UFC 307 referee: “You absolutely just sh*t the bed”
“Big” John McCarthy has gone off on one controversial referee who was on duty for UFC 307.
Dave Seljestad has come under fire for his officiating during the Cesar Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria fight. The referee was bashed by fans and experts for missing a slew of eye pokes. He was also criticized for being easily influenced by fans when breaking up grappling positions.
The godfather of MMA officiating, McCarthy saw issues with Seljestad even before the fight began.
RELATED: DANA WHITE REACTS TO THE “ATROCIOUS” JUDGING AT UFC 307
“Big” John McCarthy Rips UFC 307 Referee
During a new episode of the “Weighing In” podcast, “Big” John McCarthy told Josh Thomson that there were bad signs before Cesar Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria even got started (via Bloody Elbow).
“But I’ll tell you what, the referee absolutely destroyed this fight, it was bad. Potieria got eye poked about five to six times in this thing and I know the referee, he’s been around forever, reffing in Utah for 20 years but this is what happens.
“I try to tell people, you take someone that they believe in who’s done it for so long and put them in these positions where it’s everything. Look at when he’s checking the fighters and he starts doing this big swooping motion over the tape on the glove and he makes it dramatic.
“You go ‘dude, I don’t know if you realize, this isn’t about you; no one gives a s*** about you’. He broke them off clinches, guy gets into a clinch on the fence for ten seconds and he separates them, breaks them apart.
“You look at it and go ‘it’s all about you isn’t it?’ As a referee, you’re never going to make a bad fight good, but you can definitely make a good fight bad, well congratulations Dave Seljestad, you made a fight bad.”
Dana White also wasn’t thrilled with the officiating for UFC 307. He also took aim at the judges put in place for the event in Salt Lake City. White called the judging “atrocious.”
As for Seljestad’s performance, “Big” John summed it up perhaps better than most of the referee’s critics could have.
“You absolutely just s*** the bed.”
