Kenny Florian: Ref Steve Mazzagatti Needs Glasses, Has Been Late With His Calls

Posted Jan 01, 2009 7:55AM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

Filed Under: UFC

MMA referees are appointed by the state athletic commissions and don't work for the UFC or any other promotion. That's good for Steve Mazzagatti, because a whole lot of folks in the UFC don't like him.

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has made it clear that he doesn't want Mazzagatti refereeing his fights anymore, after a controversial stand-up benefited Frank Mir in Lesnar's UFC debut. And UFC President Dana White was critical of Mazzagatti after UFC 92, where Mazzagatti allowed Mostapha Al-Turk to take a series of blows from Cheick Kongo, long after it was clear that Al-Turk was hurt and stood no chance of getting out of the first round.

And now Kenny Florian is piling on. This week on ESPN.com's MMA Live, Florian suggested that Mazzagatti simply isn't fit for the job.

"I think someone should have gotten him glasses for Christmas," Florian said. "I'll be honest, he really has been late with a lot of his calls, and it has been a consistent thing with him."

When Florian fights B.J. Penn for the lightweight title this year, I have a feeling Mazzagatti won't be the third man in the Octagon.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-01-2009 @ 11:27AM

Frederick said...

Mazzagtti does let fights go to long I find

This is my opinion on the refs we see often

1-Big John(very Good)
2- Mario Yamazaki(very Good)
3-Yves Lavignes(very Good)
4-Herb Dean (good but I would like to see him more present I find he does not impose himself enough)
5-Mazagotti(Lets the fights go to long way to often)
6-Mirigliota(He is awfull bottom line lol)

Compare Mazagatti to Lavigne for example Both let fight go longer then the rest I find. but lavigne is always talking to the fighters telling them he will stop it

1-01-2009 @ 2:38PM

Cynthia Learn said...

I tottally agree with you buds!!! Mazagatti was fined once last year for delaying a call and I believe should be banned from UFC! He WILL sooner or later get someone seriously hurt!!!

I believe what you said about Herb Dean as well!! He has the potenial to be WAY better.

Personally I like Big John McCarthy and Yves Lavignes the best then Mario Yamazaki.....If I had to fight I'd want one of these three guys!!

1-01-2009 @ 2:12PM

mattio said...

Blame the ref instead of the fighter for not tapping? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

1-01-2009 @ 4:17PM

krmagley said...

if a fighter is out they can't tap. just because a fighter like nog or al-turk has their eyes open and their hands are moving doesn't mean their mind is working well enough to defend or tap. Nog, Griffin and Al-Turk were all out, it was up to the refs to stop the fight and protect them. Some did better than others.

Having the refs as full time employees is a conflict of interest. They should be beholden to the athletic commission and the athletes, not the whims of promoters.

1-01-2009 @ 4:35PM

I Typed to quick lol

I meant to bring up the nfl has an example that there refs are not full time employes

I do not know how the commissions work what type of training they give there employees or if there employees are fulltime.(All info I would like to know)

And yes I agree they can not be employed by the UFC it would be a conflict of interest

to me the bottom line is the athletic commision is the one to be held accountable

1-05-2009 @ 8:18AM

Eric said...

Dumb comment, Mattio ... seriously!

1-01-2009 @ 2:42PM

Your an idiot!!! It's not just the "TAP OUT" it's late stopages....it's standing them up when both fighters are still working..not just laying on top of eachother doing nothing. It's grabbing the cage or hits below the belt!! There is SO MUCH more to it!!

1-01-2009 @ 2:45PM

I really hope Ken Flo and some of the other fighters like Brock Lesnar do all go to the fight commissioner and get this guy bounced, it's been a long time coming!!

I'm surprised that the fighters have to do it though....WHY NOT DANA WHITE!! These are "HIS FIGHTERS" ....why isn't he doing anything about this guy!!

1-01-2009 @ 2:55PM

I think in any sports league(Or even normal life) its the refs employers to ensure they have the proper training and to ensure that they provide top quality personel

The ones to be held accountable to me are the commissions.

i do not have enought info on the MMA refs but for example I think its ludacris that there refs are not fulltime employees

With the amount of revenue generated by these sports its essential to for them to invest alot in the inetgrety of there sport

1-02-2009 @ 8:55AM

Mike said...

Anyone ever think that Dana White might be telling him to let the fight go... or stand it up.. etc..

I don't think that Dana White wanted Brock as a winner in the UFC originally.

I believe that Dana and the UFC thought that if a WWE wrestler could come in and destroy professional top rated MMA fighters it would be bad for the UFC. So Dana and them watned Brock to loose that fight.. but not as much as they wanted Randy to loose so they could let him go out into the sunset. They really wanted to get rid of Randy (I believe).

No question some refs are better than others.. but I'm also pretty sure that the refs are given instructions before the fight.. just like the fighters are given instructions.