‘Nobody’s Happier Than Me’: Dana White Reacts to UFC Referees Finally Punishing Fouls

UFC referees have faced criticism for their handling of illegal strikes, eye pokes, and fight stoppages at several recent UFC events. Herb Dean in particular has consistently found himself under fire from both fans and fighters online. Recently, retired UFC fighter Dustin Poirier reacted to the controversy surrounding Dean and recalled a moment from UFC 291, joking that Dean hit him with a "People's Elbow" while stepping in to stop the fight. Now Dana White has expressed his own feelings about referee decisions.

Dana White Praises UFC Referees For Finally Deducting Points Over Fouls

After a string of controversial decisions, fans had been slamming UFC referees online. Things have started to settle down though, and Dana White says he is happy to see referees finally beginning to deduct points for fouls during UFC fights. During his recent press conference, he said, “Every time the refs and judges do a good job, nobody's happier than me.”

White made it clear he wants referees and judges to do their jobs properly and that nobody is happier than him when they make the right calls. However, the UFC boss has also previously spoken about the illegal strikes Ciryl Gane landed on Alex Pereira, which the referee didn't react to at the time.

Dana White Calls Out Herb Dean Over Illegal Shots to Alex Pereira's Head at UFC White House

Dana White admitted that Alex Pereira took illegal shots to the back of the head during his fight against Ciryl Gane at the UFC White House event. While White acknowledged that such fouls can happen during fast-paced exchanges, he felt Herb Dean should have at least issued a warning.

“Maybe Herb Dean should have said something there like 'Hey, watch out for hitting the back of his head' or warned him, or done something along those lines,” White said.

The Brazilian fighter genuinely feels those shots affected the outcome of the fight, and after the bout he posted a photo showing the back of his head completely swollen. Now, the former light heavyweight champion is set to face Sergei Pavlovich, and many are hoping Pereira gets the win and puts himself back in contention for the heavyweight belt.