‘Worst Ref in the Game’: Jorge Masvidal Backs Alex Pereira’s Criticism of Herb Dean

Pereira accused Dean of negligence after suffering a second-round TKO defeat to Gane in the White House co-main event. While the Brazilian has continued to voice his frustrations in the aftermath, Masvidal took things a up a notch with a blunt assessment of the official's track record.

Jorge Masvidal Doubles Down on Long-Running Herb Dean Criticism

Masvidal was quick to side with Pereira, using the controversy to revive his own long-standing criticism of Dean. Responding to the fallout from UFC Freedom 250, Masvidal wrote on social media,"I said it many times, worst ref in the game and accountability not fair to destroy so many careers."

The remarks were hardly out of character for the former BMF champion. For the unversed, “Gamebred” has repeatedly criticized Dean's work over the years, most recently after the referee's stoppage in Dan Hooker's loss to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 325. 

At the time, Masvidal labeled Dean "the worst referee to ever exist," arguing that Hooker absorbed far too much damage before the fight was waved off, though he clarified that his issue was strictly with Dean's officiating, not with him personally.

Herb Dean with Proven Track Record, Despite Negative Public Perception

Dean's detractors may be growing louder, but his track record remains difficult to ignore. The veteran official has refereed UFC bouts since 2004 and is a 10-time recipient of the World MMA Awards' Referee of the Year honor, having won it consecutively in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and then in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024.

That said, Pereira's frustrations appear to stem from more than just what transpired inside the Octagon at UFC Freedom 250. According to Sean O'Malley, the Brazilian had already raised concerns about illegal strikes during the pre-fight rules meeting with Dean, mindful of Gane's previous controversies involving strikes in that area.

“Poatan” later confirmed that he specifically brought up the issue with Dean before the fight, believing the referee should have intervened once he deemed the strikes illegal.

Meanwhile, Dean addressed the backlash in a video posted online, saying he understood why fans wanted clarification and explaining that his officiating was based on the UFC's interpretation of illegal strikes to the back of the head. 

According to him, officials focus on the nape of the neck and the occipital junction, an area that protects the spine, while strikes to the sides and upper rear portions of the head remain legal. He added that this distinction is routinely covered during pre-fight rules meetings and maintained that he enforced the rule as instructed.

Pereira Opts Against Appealing Defeat

Despite his public frustration, Pereira has already indicated that he does not intend to challenge the result through an official appeal. The former middleweight and light heavyweight champion acknowledged his disappointment with the officiating but told Ariel Helwani that pursuing an appeal would likely be futile. 

In hindsight, overturned results remain exceedingly rare unless commissions determine there was a scoring error, a rules violation, or another significant procedural issue. Meaning, refereeing decisions made in real time inside the octagon are generally treated as matters of judgment, making successful appeals difficult.

Instead of focusing on changing the result, Pereira appears to aim for redemption, calling for an immediate rematch against Gane. Given his status as one of the UFC's biggest stars, it is unlikely he will have to wait long for another marquee opportunity.

Still, the fallout from UFC Freedom 250 shows little sign of dying down.