Herb Dean is one the best referees in MMA, but waited an unfathomably long time to stop Khalid Murtazaliev’s win vs. C.B. Dollaway at UFC Moscow on Saturday. In fact, it was Dolloway who stopped it when he couldn’t rise off the floor after the close of the round. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, former fighter and current commentator Dan Hardy offer a cautious, qualified criticism.

It’s difficult to criticize Herb Dean because he’s refereed me before and he’s been excellent, said Hardy to Luke Thomas, as transcribed by Dave Doyle for MMA Fighting. He’s had an excellent career as a referee so far. I mean, I don’t know what went wrong, to be honest. For me and I think for everyone in the arena who starts to boo, I think we all saw the fight was over.

I feel like Herb did him a disservice there. He could have saved him from at least 10 seconds of punches. He was curled up on his side, then he moved belly down, and for me, that’s too many, when they’re belly down, they’re done.

I watched the fight back today and I think it was 26 seconds before the end of the round, I said something about Dollaway, fatigue had taken over and he had not a lot to give. He was trying to fight back he’s a warrior, he wouldn’t give up. I always appreciate a guy who will take a beating until the referee stops it, but that’s what the referee is for is to save the fighters from themselves and from their ego and pride.

I’m sure there was a conversation with Herb Dean about it, and I’m sure he sees the error in the stoppage now. He was even confused at the end. The round ended, and with one arm he pushed Murtazaliev away and with the other arm he waved the fight off. But then the impression was given that the fight was continuing and Herb was seeing if C.B. Dollaway wants to continue, I don’t know there was a momentary lapse of concentration there for Herb Dean and it was very, very dangerous for Dollaway.

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