Big John McCarthy at UFC 182 | Photo: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect | Source: Lastwordonsports.com - Kshitiz Kumar Singh Bishop Lister · Last Word on Sports Fri, November 6, 2026 at 8:26 AM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Big John McCarthy is known as the Godfather of MMA officiating, having called fights as early as UFC 2 . The veteran referee is also one of the most knowledgeable about MMA rules, having written the original rulebook for the UFC and later helped create the Unified MMA rules way back in 2000 that are still used today.
While McCarthy is well-known for his massive size and his iconic "Let's get it on!" catchphrase to start fights, he is also highly respected in the MMA community for his role in shaping UFC rules. "Big John" is often consulted about controversial reffing decisions and was recently sought out for his opinion on the UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan officiating.
During the fight between Tom Nolan and Renato Moicano , veteran referee Dan Miragliotta made a widely controversial decision to stand up the fighters when Moicano had back control on Nolan. This decision was baffling to many because the position is typically not subject to being stood up by the ref, as it is a very advantageous position for the one initiating back control.
While on the Ariel Helwani podcast , McCarthy shared his opinion on why he believed the stand-up was not warranted, but also why he believes Miragliotta made the decision. He eloquently broke down his interpretation of the rules and how they have been applied, leading Helwani to ask why McCarthy does not officiate for the UFC anymore.
For the unversed, McCarthy has not worked with the UFC since 2017. When asked about his absence, he offered a straightforward explanation, saying, "Because I worked for Bellator. Dana White is absolutely p—ed about that and said, 'I don't want him'. And he doesn't need me."
Helwani followed up by asking if the decision ultimately comes down to the Athletic Commission, which McCarthy shut down, replying, "No. You can sit there and say that. When the UFC goes and says they don't want someone, they'll say, 'Okay.'"
McCarthy seems to reveal that the UFC has a say in what officials they use. With so many controversial officiating decisions in recent memory, the idea that the promotion gets more say in the officiating staff than let on can be a little shocking, which is an emotion Helwani shared when he followed up by asking how choosing officials works.
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Helwani asked, "Do they (UFC) get to say, 'We want these six guys at a show '?"
The veteran ref replied, "Absolutely. They put in names for people they feel comfortable with, which they should be able to do. The show rides on the decision-making of those people, so they should be comfortable with those people, as far as allowing them to do the work in the cage and be part of the entire production of it."
McCarthy agrees that a promoter, like UFC, should get a say in who gets officiating positions and is not bothered by his absence from the UFC because of his work on Bellator. However, Helwani also questioned why one of the best officials, who also wrote the rules, would not be utilized on the biggest stage.
While many have pointed out controversial officiating decisions, the UFC, Dana White , and its officials have explained decisions and reflected on how rules are enforced. Although Big John McCarthy is not officiating UFC events anymore, he is still a big part of the company's working, as his work and creation of the rules are still referenced today.
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