There’s been a heated debate about the referee’s role in standing up a fight on its feet after it spent a period of time on the ground. Folks have been on opposite sides of the spectrum, from the people that get tired of seeing guys grapple on the ground to the folks who are of advocates the get-back-to-your-feet-yourself movement, there has always been a conversation about it.
Referee “Big” John McCarthy is clearly of the latter group.
Last Friday at Bellator 129, Josh Neer lost a unanimous decision to Paul Bradley, in a bout that saw Bradley keep top control a majority of the contest and Neer struggling to get back to his feet. When Bradley was about to be announced the winner, Neer was clearly upset with McCarthy, who officiated the bout, for not standing the fighters up. McCarthy’s response was priceless: “It’s not my job; it’s your job to get up. Nope, it’s not kickboxing.”
Check out the video.
Here’s the video of John McCarthy telling Josh Neer “It’s not my job. It’s your job to get up.”
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