Dana White Proposes ‘Common Sense’ Solution Following Referee Issue at UFC 307
In a recent turn of events at UFC 307, Dana White expressed his dissatisfaction with the judging and one referee, notwithstanding the thrilling main event between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree.
The night saw ‘Poatan’ emerging victorious in a packed UFC event, leaving Rountree’s face battered by the precise strikes of the Brazilian. However, White was displeased with some contentious scorecards. While not singling out a specific fight, there was significant controversy surrounding Julianna Pena’s split-decision victory over Raquel Pennington in the co-main event, as well as Mario Bautista’s split-decision triumph over Jose Aldo.
Venting his frustration in the post-fight press conference, White criticised, “I thought the judging tonight was atrocious. I felt like I was at a boxing match in Ireland tonight. I thought the judging was atrocious tonight. I’ll just leave it that. It was atrocious.”
Referee Mike Beltran faced criticism, especially for his handling of Bautista’s repeated takedown attempts on Aldo, leading to stalling and cage-holding tactics. White explained his exasperation by stating, “It’s common sense. When the guy keeps doing it, and is doing everything he can to not fight, and not win the fight, as a ref, you should break it up immediately.”
White hinted at exerting pressure on officials going forward to discourage stalling manoeuvres from fighters and promote more engaging striking exchanges.
Overall, White’s ‘common sense’ approach aims to ensure fairer judging and more proactive refereeing in UFC events, fostering a more dynamic and fan-friendly competition atmosphere.