Outside Source
Herb Dean had a front row seat to one of the scariest knockouts of the year.
The veteran referee was the third man in the cage for the UFC 317 featured preliminary bout between middleweight veterans Gregory Rodrigues and Jack Hermansson. Rodrigues scored a hellacious finish when he caught Hermansson with a hard punch that immediately left Hermansson flat on the canvas.
Making the knockout worse was the follow-up strike that Rodrigues landed on a defenseless Hermansson. It was an ugly scene, one that left pros marveling at Rodrigues’ power and at least one questioning whether Dean could have been in better position to step in sooner.
“Herb Dean has lost a step,” UFC middleweight Eryk Anders wrote on Twitter.
This isn’t the first controversy surrounding Dean, one of MMA’s most decorated officials that has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. UFC commentator Joe Rogan criticized Dean for calling for more action in the main event of UFC 306, and former UFC commentator Dan Hardy memorably yelled at Dean for what he perceived to be a late stoppage at a July 2020 UFC event.
Check out how pros reacted to Rodrigues and Dean’s work at UFC 317 below.
Herb Dean has lost a step
— Eryk Anders (@erykanders) June 29, 2025
When you free fall and hit ya head on that canvas….. ooof! What a vicious left hook
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) June 29, 2025
I thought Hermanson was looking really good too. Robocop bas the one shot KO power though. Wish herb got in the way of that hammer fist at the end. #ufc319
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) June 29, 2025
Wow Gregory Robocop that’s guaranteed 50K #UFC317
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) June 29, 2025
Geezzzz that was a brutal KO and Hammer fist after, herb was just a split second late
— Billy Quarantillo (@BillyQMMA) June 29, 2025
This article first appeared at MMA Fighting – All Posts
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