California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster has come out in firm support of referee Herb Dean amid growing criticism over Dean’s recent officiating in high-profile MMA bouts.
Foster acknowledged he is aware of complaints, including backlash from Alex Pereira following his fight with Ciryl Gane, after which Pereira launched a petition to have Dean banned from future UFC events. Despite that, Foster made it clear Dean will continue to work top assignments in the state.
“Whether it’s Herb or Marc Goddard or anybody that’s received some of this criticism, I don’t think it’s really fair,” Foster said. “It doesn’t have to be fair. Being a referee’s not fair. I think Herb Dean’s a good referee and you’ll see Herb Dean on the main event of my upcoming UFC’s because Herb Dean is the senior referee in California. Herb Dean has my full confidence.”
Addressing the Gane vs. Pereira sequence specifically, Foster said, “The thing with Gane and Pereira, I was there. I was watching that in real time,” adding, “That didn’t look anything different … that looked like a normal fight to me. That looked like a normal fight. I think what started that series was the punch that put [Pereira] on the ground. I know that’s what started that series. He’s obviously trying to finish him. [Pereira] is trying to get back in the fight.”
With the UFC set to return to California for UFC 331 on Sept. 19 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Foster reiterated that Dean remains the senior referee in the state and will continue to officiate main events there.
