John McCarthy draws main event assignment at UFC on FOX 9

Veteran referee John McCarthy will oversee Saturday’s flyweight title bout between champion Demetrious Johnson (18-2-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) and Joseph Benavidez (19-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at UFC on FOX 9.

If the headliner goes the distance, judges Derek Cleary, Mike Bell and Wade Vierra will score the fight, according to a representative from the California State Athletic Commission.

MMAjunkie today requested and received officials assignments from the commission, which oversees the fight card at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The event’s main card airs live on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and MMAjunkie.

McCarthy, one of the longest serving and most respected referees in the sport, was the third man in the cage for September’s light heavyweight title bout between champ Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165. He has served countless times over high-profile MMA fights.

According to MMADecisions, a website that tracks MMA officials, judge Cleary has worked three major events this year in California, including UFC 157, UFC on FOX 7 and Bellator 106. Notably, he scored April’s UFC on FOX 7 headliner for then-lightweight champ Benson Henderson, who took home a split-call over Gilbert Melendez.

Bell and Vierra also worked at UFC 157 and UFC on FOX 7. Bell, notably, gave a 29-28 decision to Francis Carmont over Lorenz Larkin while Vierra gave Melendez the nod over Henderson.

Johnson vs. Benavidez is a rematch from UFC 152, where Johnson earned a split-decision win to claim the inaugural UFC flyweight title.

Herb Dean will ref UFC on FOX 9's co-main event between bantamweights Urijah Faber (29-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Michael McDonald (16-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC). Cleary, Bell and Ed Collantes will score the fight.

For the latest on UFC on FOX 9, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.