Dana White Suggests MMA Judges and Referees Need Grappling Experience as Job Requirement

If you haven’t done some Brazilian jiu-jitsu or a form of grappling, UFC president Dana White doesn’t find you qualified to officiate MMA.

White said on Wednesday evening that referees and judges employed by athletic commissions overseeing MMA events should have experience “rolling” before being considered for their jobs.

“First of all, boxing judges (are) refereeing mixed martial arts fights. There’s no mixed martial artist, former mixed martial artist, or anybody who knows enough,” White said on UFC Tonight. “I don’t think that you should be judging or reffing a fight unless you’ve actually rolled and know what a submission feels like. How about know what a submission is? How about that first … let alone mixed martial arts.”

White was adamant in his stance, addressing the judging and refereeing controversies that occurred at UFC 167 last Saturday in Las Vegas. The most notable controversy White addressed was the split decision handed down in favor of Georges St-Pierre in the main event against Johny Hendricks. White said he scored the fight for Hendricks, giving the fighter the edge in the first, second, and fourth rounds of the contest.

White was furious after the fights, slamming the Nevada State Athletic Commission during the post-fight press conference for what he said was the commission’s poor handling of the events. The UFC executive said the governor needs to step in and put a stop to the NSAC’s behavior before MMA is ruined the same way as boxing.

The brash promoter said it’s an easy fix and shouldn’t be considered difficult.

“It’s not rocket science,” White said. “We all know what needs to be done; it just needs to be done.”