Kizer: Nevada hasn’t adopted use of TV monitors for judges
LAS VEGAS – After a few on-site reporters posted Twitter messages stating that the judges stations at The Ultimate Fighter…
LAS VEGAS – After a few on-site reporters posted Twitter messages stating that the judges stations at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale had been equipped with video monitors, many in the industry rejoiced.
But following Saturday’s event in Las Vegas, Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the monitors mistakenly were installed and were turned off before the show started.
“I unplugged them all,” said Kizer, who spoke to MMAjunkie.com after Saturday’s show at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. “The UFC had no idea why they were there either. I talked to the producer for the [Spike TV broadcast]. He said the [production] company put them there as a favor I guess.”
“I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but when we passed MMA (legislation) in 2001, we required at least two big monitors for both the fans and the judges,” he said.
Additionally, he thinks judges could become overly dependent on the monitors and focus on the screens instead of the action that’s unfolding right in front of them.
“I don’t want to have monitors right there (in their stations) at least right now,” Kizer said. “I’m not saying I’d never be for it. But I have a monitor where I’m at, and there are times I can’t see, so I’ll look at the monitor. Then the fight comes back to where I can see, but I’m still looking at the monitor.
“I’m not saying we won’t use them one day,” he said. “But right now, we don’t really need them with the big screens and everything else.”
