UFC requests no Mazzagatti at July title bout
At a public meeting held on Wednesday, Josh Rosenthal was one of four referees identified as available to referee the…
At a public meeting held on Wednesday, Josh Rosenthal was one of four referees identified as available to referee the heavyweight unification bout between champions Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin at UFC 116 on July 3 in Las Vegas, along with tenured officials Herb Dean, Mario Yamasaki and Steve Mazzagatti.
Lesnar’s agent, David Olsen, and UFC attorney Michael Mersch separately voiced their objections to the Las Vegas-based Mazzagatti receiving consideration for the assignment prior to Kizer’s nomination and the vote.
Olsen said he and his client believed there was at least a perception of bias among the public following Mazzagatti’s officiating of a bout between Lesnar and Frank Mir at UFC 81 in February 2008.
UFC attorney Mersch, who was present at the Las Vegas meeting, also asked the commission to remove Mazzagatti from consideration based on similar claims.
NSAC Chairwoman Pat Lundvall said she found no grounds of an actual bias on the referee’s part. Lundvall would not approve Mazzagatti’s removal from consideration, though the appointment ultimately went to Rosenthal.