Aljamain Sterling has launched a sharp public criticism of referee Herb Dean following Phumi Nkuta’s submission loss to Adriano Moraes at MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano in New Jersey on Saturday.
Moraes was awarded a submission victory after officials reviewed the fight-ending sequence to determine whether Nkuta lost consciousness before the final bell. The review, conducted with members of the New Jersey athletic commission including Mike Beltran, concluded that Nkuta was out before time expired. Official scorecards showed Nkuta leading 20-18 heading into Round 3.
Reacting to the outcome, Sterling did not hold back on Dean’s performance. “Herb Dean, awful, awful referee,” Sterling said, later adding, “I’m tired of these people coping, saying ‘the gold standard.’ … Herb Dean is a good dude. I’m not going to say he’s a bad person because he’s a bad ref. But he’s a bad ref. He’s a bad ref.”
Sterling, a training partner of Nkuta, also questioned the commission huddle that followed the finish. “They all converse in a circle like a little hut, I’m watching these guys, it’s like ‘The Five Stooges,’” he said, arguing the choke continued after the bell and should have led to a disqualification. One official involved in the review maintained, “I’m certain the right decision was made.”
Broadening his criticism, Sterling compared the officiating system to a “good old boys club” and said, “I’m not calling for Herb Dean to get fired, but there should be a review. He should get demoted to lower levels of competition.”
