wouldnt it be a conflict of interest for a referee to also be a fighter?

[revoltub]

Herb dean is a former mma fighter but most well known as a referee obviously. Mistake me if Im wrong but Big John has a fight or 2 as well.

Anyway if you think about it, a referee who fights might be under some degree of bias. Example, say herb dean trained with someone he's reffing, and whose to say he hasn't.......there would be a natural bias for (or against) the fighter he trained with. Also, even without a bias, couldn't you argue that he would have a bias for the fighters in general? What I mean is, if dean is a training fighter, he might be more likely to bend the rules or extend stoppages because he can relate to the heart of the fighter, ya feel me?

I doubt future referees would also be fighters. Plenty of old boxers used to be referee (walcott, louis, dempsey) but I can't remember the last boxer they let ref.

 

[mikehunt]

 

[Übermacht]

Big John would wipe out tha whole HW division, ya goofs.

 

[BisexualMMA]

Referees should disclose any potential conflict of interest like having been training partners with someone they are officiating, but other than specific cases, fighting itself shouldn't be an inherent source of conflict. In fact, it would be great if all or most refs had spent some time in the shoes of those over whom they have authority.

 

[revoltub]

Referees should disclose any potential conflict of interest like having been training partners with someone they are officiating, but other than specific cases, fighting itself shouldn't be an inherent source of conflict. In fact, it would be great if all or most refs had spent some time in the shoes of those over whom they have authority.

id figure disclosing is something they'd already have to do no?

 

[BisexualMMA]

id figure disclosing is something they'd already have to do no?

I think so, unless it's some shady Russian stuff.

 

[HHJ]

big john doesnt have any mma fights.

 

[Reign009]

Big John and Mario Yamasaki are both BJJ black belts. I'd imagine they've trained with UFC fighters at some point or another.

 

[GrantB13]

That's a downside that could be negated by them not reffing a team they were affiliated with. A ref with fighting experience would only help