Ultimate Fighting Championship star Alex
Pereira’s criticism of referee Herb Dean
hasn’t ceased following Michel
Pereira’s UFC exit.
„Poatan“ suggested that the officiating in his compatriot’s
unanimous decision loss to Sharabutdin
Magomedov contributed to his departure from the promotion. The
UFC Baku bout had its share of controversies, with Magomedov
grabbing his opponent’s hair without receiving a point
deduction.
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Notably, Pereira previously slammed Dean over his loss to Ciryl
Gane.
Alex Pereira criticizes Herb Dean’s officiating after Michel
Pereira’s UFC departure
Michel had fought out his previous contract with the UFC and was
offered a one-fight deal to take on Magomedov in the UFC Baku
co-headliner, which he lost. Dean’s inaction towards the Russian’s
repeated fouls has drawn the ire of the former two-division
champion, who voiced his frustration in a lengthy Instagram
post.
“They could have released him earlier, and maybe that would have
been understandable,” he wrote. “But making someone pay such a high
price because of a refereeing mistake is unacceptable.”
While he didn’t specifically name-drop Dean, unlike his comments
following his controversial loss to Gane at
UFC Freedom 250, the former Glory Kickboxing champion
highlighted that a fighter’s career can get derailed or
significantly damaged by a referee’s incompetence.
“The UFC has always done everything I’ve asked within the
organization’s reach, but it’s sad to see something like this and
not be upset,” he continued. “A lot of fighters stay quiet, but
tomorrow it could be you going through the same situation. And when
that happens, don’t message me asking for help. It’s sad that even
the UFC doesn’t have control over situations like this, and that’s
what ends up damaging our sport.”
„Demolidor“ was among the most exciting fighters on the roster
during his welterweight run, but a subsequent move up to
middleweight, adoption of a more conservative fighting style and
inconsistent results saw his hype come to a screeching halt. He
leaves the promotion with a 10-6 Octagon record.