‘Big’ John’s departure a big, big blow to regulation
ABC president Mike Mazzulli: “It is a big, big blow to regulators. I didn’t just rely on John when it came to refereeing. I’ve learned a lot from him and I still learn a lot from him.”
‘Big’ John McCarthy is the father of MMA refereeing. For over two decades he set the bar when it comes to officiating in MMA, refereeing many the biggest bouts in the history of the sport worldwide, and serving as a key figure in the writing of the sport’s Unified Rules, which are recognized by athletic commissions all across North America and beyond. A former Los Angeles Police Officer, and a Self-Defense Instructor at the Los Angeles Police Academy, McCarthy is also the founder of C.O.M.M.A.N.D., a program that trains and certifies MMA referees and judges.
With nowhere to go up, a potential career destroying neck injury, and compensation far, far, far, far, far from adequate given the stakes, last month McCarthy came to an agreement with Bellator MMA to serve as color commentator during broadcasts on Paramount Network. In a beautiful article by Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting, key figures in the sport bemoaned the loss.
It’s not just McCarthy’s extraordinary work in front of cameras that is so profoundly missed. He also took a leadership role backstage that may be even harder still to replace.
It is a big, big blow to regulators, said president of the Association of Boxing Commissions and Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation director Mike Mazzulli. I didn’t just rely on John when it came to refereeing. I’ve learned a lot from him and I still learn a lot from him. He helped me write my policies. I will still go to him and ask him questions.
California State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster concurred.
The thing about government and the thing about institutions is no single figure is irreplaceable,��said Foster. However, John McCarthy is probably as close as it’ll ever come. Certainly no one is irreplaceable and you have to have a succession plan in place for that these types of events. Had you told me last year that this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have believed you. I certainly wouldn’t have seen this one coming.
We’ve been developing talent and bringing people up. But really the depth of knowledge for mixed martial arts officiating in one person is unparalleled when it comes to John McCarthy.
Foster described Herb Dean as the heir apparent.
Anything I’ve got, let me know, Foster said he told Dean. It’s yours if you want it.
Other referees who are spoken highly of include Todd Anderson, Mike Bell, Mike Beltran, Marc Goddard, Blake Grice, Dan Miragliotta, Rob Hinds, Jason Herzog, Yves Lavigne, Kevin MacDonald, Leon Roberts, Josh Rosenthal, Chris Tognoni, Jerin Valel, and Mario Yamasaki. Foster cited retired fighter Frank Trigg as a figure who could mature into one of the very greatest.
McCarthy will continue to work on the ABC rules and regulations committee, chaired by Sean Wheelock, and teach the ABC referee and judge certification courses, albeit less frequently than before. And he will still referee and/or judge boxing in California and Nevada. But there’s a hole in the sport, and it hasn’t been filled yet.
