RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JANUARY 14: Felipe Arantes (Top) punches Antonio Carvalho (Bottom) in a featherweight bout during UFC 142 at HSBC Arena on January 14, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Referee Mario Yamasaki disqualified welterweight Erick Silva for hitting Carlo Prater on the back of the head at UFC 142. He was a guest on Portal do Vale Tudo's podcast yesterday and addressed the subject of instant replay, which was not available to the referees at UFC 142 in Brazil.
"To err is human and it is no shame to admit that you made a mistake and change your opinion." he stated. "I think it is great for the referees (the new rule) and give us an opportunity the take a better look in what happened and finally make our decision. The athletes work so hard to fight at the UFC that they deserve it.
"(Erick Silva) showed class and maturity. He could have made it a circus with the interview after the fight, but understood the situation and behaved like a real gentleman. He is a great kid."
"(Joe Rogan) was doing his job and it was my mistake of staying there in the middle. I should had left before that."
Yamasaki also said that he and former UFC heavyweight and longtime referee in the Brazilian MMA scene, Carlos Barreto, are meeting weekly to prepare the foundation of the first Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission, with all the support of the UFC.
"The UFC is the one that wants and needs the most an Athletic Commission in Brazil. They want and they need Brazilian referees, judges and cutmen to help develop the sport in the country and to cut the expenses of bringing an entire staff from USA and Europe. Carlão and I are putting together all the legal issues and will be organizing many seminars, courses and training for referees, judges and cutmen. We'll start in March and will bring many professionals from the US to help us prepare and specialize people to do the work in Brazil" said Yamasaki.
More SBNation coverage of UFC 142.
0 recs | 22 comments
I think some refs are too soft on back of the head strikes
You hear them calling ‘watch the back of the head, watch the back of the head’ repeatedly. Perhaps a reaction like one given to a groin strike, with time to recover, could also lead to time for a replay and a decision over a point deuction or not.
Jaspawokki - February 2, 2012
I would like to see formalized behavior
in this regard. If you are told twice then the third warning comes with a point deduction, 4 is DQ or something.
DankNabbot - February 2, 2012
You're warned in the locker room beforehand
Fighters need to stay in control, and not spaz out and let the red mist take over.
KJ Gould - February 2, 2012
Red mist?
The great muta ?
RECE ROCK - February 2, 2012 via mobile
I'd like something more standardized as well....
at the very least, a fighter should be stopped, stood up, and have a point deducted before simply getting DQ’d in the heat of the finish.
SteveevaD - February 2, 2012
the dq occurs
when their opponent can’t continue
I like the way Herb Dean handled it this last weekend, stopping the action to make the fighter understand what he was telling him
Of course those shots were pretty blatant
troyd - February 2, 2012
Same with Fence grabbing.
Kefka - February 2, 2012
Sometimes it can be very hard for guys to avoid hitting the back of the head. For instance if a guy is flattened out on his back and basically puts his hands at his ears and just lies there, the fight will never be stopped because the guy on top will just be hitting the gloves. In the Roller Johnson fight, Johnson had basically given up and got off the hook because Roller hit the back of the head a couple of times. If guys are hitting the sides of the had, even the gloves, it should be stopped in my eyes, it’s basically impossible for the guy on top to do anything despite his opponent having given up pretty much
StevenGiles - February 2, 2012
Agreed, in those instances IMO it sould be considered that the fighter isn’t intelligently defending himself, putting himself in danger and the fight should be stopped.
Sweet Scientist - February 2, 2012
I disagree
a few elbows to the back or knees to the side will make them respond or make he ref stop it
troyd - February 2, 2012
Well done, Mario.
Derek Suboticki - February 2, 2012
Yeah, bye the way
Well said Mario. That is not easy and I am glad you showed others how to roperly apologize AND take responsibility! It’s classy, and makes me respect him MORE. Because everyone makes mistakes, it’s how you handle it that determines integrity and character. Damn, he hit every angle with that one, owned it all.
DankNabbot - February 2, 2012
Respect for Yamasaki
It’s nice to see him admit to an error, and I’m stoked he’s working for a more standardized MMA scene in Brazil, as well. Seems like a good guy and a fantastic asset to the UFC.
Patrick Wyman - February 2, 2012
They have video-replay in
all state-regulated MMA matches in Australia. It’s been a licencing condition since 2004 for all non-amateur fight-sports including boxing and kickboxing.
Cameron Daddo - February 2, 2012
Stay classy, Mario Yamasaki
Earl Montclair - February 2, 2012
Why didn’t the UFC bring in instant replay for the Brazil card?
Obviously5Believers - February 2, 2012
Refs can look @ instant replays and change the call... it's in ABC ruleset somewhere
and since it’s Brazil they could have done whatever they wanted
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - February 2, 2012
All he had to do was wait another minute and watch the replay on the big screen.
Kefka - February 2, 2012
Pretty sure you can’t use the broadcast footage for reffing purposes.
Gugabe - February 3, 2012
I guarantee the UFC does not want more commissions in places where they don’t already exist. Why would they want to create more red tape if they don’t have to, especially when at the most they would hold two events there a year? I don’t think Yamasaki knows what he’s talking about in that regard, and clearly doesn’t understand the UFC’s interests.
nomomrnicekyle - February 2, 2012
Maybe it's you that doesn't understand the UFC's interest
YPG - February 3, 2012
Excellent response to the situation by Yamasaki. The guy is a true pro, and deserves no flack. Instant replay makes perfect sense.
FarmerInTheCity - February 3, 2012
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