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UFC Fighters, Including Champion, Criticize Senior Referee Over Controversial Calls

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First reported by N12 · Jun 29, 2026

What happened

Senior UFC referee Herb Dean faces mounting criticism from top fighters, including champion Tom Aspinall and Alex Pereira, over controversial officiating decisions in recent bouts, sparking debate about rule enforcement in MMA.

01Senior UFC referee Herb Dean faces increasing criticism from fighters over controversial calls.
02Alex Pereira accused Dean of allowing illegal strikes in his title loss to Ciryl Gane.
03Pereira launched a social media campaign expressing fear of fighting under Dean’s refereeing.
04Shara Magomedov’s fouls against Michel Pereira went unpenalized, fueling further complaints.
05Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and former fighter Jorge Masvidal publicly criticized Dean.
06The controversy raises questions about MMA rule enforcement and referee standards in UFC.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

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