Alex Pereira Doubles Down on Herb Dean Criticism After UFC Baku Co-Main Event
Alex Pereira has made it clear that his issues with veteran referee Herb Dean are far from over.
Just days after publicly criticizing the veteran referee’s handling of his own defeat to Ciryl Gane at UFC White House, the former two-division UFC champion once again turned his attention toward the longtime official, this time following the controversial co-main event at UFC Baku.
Alex Pereira Reignites Criticism of Herb Dean
Dean's officiating came under scrutiny during the middleweight clash between Sharabutdin Magomedov, aka "Shara Bullet," and Michel Pereira, a bout that featured multiple fouls but no point deductions.
In the aftermath of the three-rounder, Alex Pereira, who has remained vocal about fighter safety since his loss to Gane, didn't need a lengthy statement to make his feelings known. Instead, the former two-division champion delivered a brief but pointed message on social media that quickly grabbed fans' attention.
Following the UFC Baku co-main event, Pereira shared an image from the fight on Instagram alongside a blunt caption directed at the referee.
"Herb Dean... coward," he wrote.
Herb Dean Warns Fighters of Point Deduction Possibilities
The post came after Dean was forced to intervene multiple times during the contest between Magomedov and the Brazilian middleweight. Early in the fight, the referee warned Magomedov twice for grabbing Pereira's hair during grappling exchanges.
Between rounds, Dean even visited the Russian’s corner to reiterate that another foul could result in a point deduction.
Despite the warning, another controversial moment unfolded later in the fight when Magomedov landed an accidental eye poke. Dean immediately halted the action to give Michel Pereira time to recover but chose not to deduct a point, instead issuing only another warning.
Alex Pereira Flustered After Herb Dean Fails to Deduct Point for Magomedov
That sequence appeared to strike a nerve with “Poatan,” whose frustration with Dean has been building ever since his loss to Gane. After suffering a stoppage defeat at UFC White House, Pereira argued that several illegal strikes to the back of his head went unnoticed during the finishing sequence.
He also criticized Dean for neither stopping the action nor cautioning Gane during the exchange.
While referees are often forced to make split-second decisions inside the Octagon, Pereira has repeatedly suggested that Dean has failed to consistently protect fighters in critical moments. His latest social media post indicates that those frustrations remain fresh.
Michel Pereira Questions Officiating after Unanimous Decision Loss
The “Demolidor” came up short in the UFC Baku co-main event, dropping a unanimous decision to Magomedov after three closely contested rounds.
Pereira (31-15-0, 2NC) started brightly, even scoring a first-round knockdown and controlling large stretches of the opening frame with his grappling. However, Magomedov found his rhythm in the second round, using his striking to level the contest before edging the final round on the judges' scorecards to secure a 29-28 verdict across all three scorecards.
Despite the loss, much of the post-fight discussion focused on the officiating rather than the result. During the bout, referee Dean twice warned Magomedov for grabbing Pereira's hair before later issuing only a warning after an accidental eye poke in the third round.
Although the veteran official had previously cautioned that further fouls could lead to a point deduction, none was issued.
Pereira Demands Accountability from Herb Dean
Following the fight, the 32-year-old expressed his frustration with the handling of the incidents, questioning why repeated infractions did not result in a penalty, writing, “Where’s the criterion @herbdeanmma?.”
While he stopped short of blaming Herb Dean for the defeat, the Brazilian suggested the referee's reluctance to enforce stricter punishment allowed the fouls to go without meaningful consequences.
Those comments only added weight to “Poatan’s” criticism of Dean, with the former UFC champion pointing to the Baku co-main event as another example of what he sees as inconsistent officiating inside the Octagon.
