Herb Dean Set To Oversee Dos Santos vs. Mir at UFC 146 | UFC NEWS
By Jonathan Kirschner
As the date approaches for UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos and Frank Mir to battle in the middle of the octagon, a referee for the bout has officially been assigned. In a meeting held on Monday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission confirmed that veteran MMA referee Herb Dean would be officiating the bout.
Frank Mir and Junior Dos Santos’ camps were contacted about the decision and neither party any issues with it. Herb Dean has some history with both combatants fighting in the main-event at UFC 146.
Herb Dean has been with the UFC for quite some time, and in his years there have been some brutal injuries. Ironically, two of the most iconic injuries by way of submission were caused by Frank Mir in bouts that Herb Dean officiated. At UFC 48, Frank Mir trapped Tim Sylvia in an armbar and torqued the submission so far that it was past the point of hyperextension; Frank Mir had broke Tim Sylvia’s arm. While you could hear capillaries pop and see the arm start to bend past its breaking point, Herb Dean stepped in and separated the submission before permanent damage was done. Almost exactly 8 years later at UFC 140, Frank Mir defied the odds and submitted Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. After getting knocked goofy by the Brazilian, Mir performed a beautiful transition on the ground and ended up trapping Nogueira in a vicious kimura that snapped his arm. With Nogueira refusing to tap out and Mir mercilessly torquing the submission every second, Herb Dean had no other choice but to step in once again and call the bout.
While Junior Dos Santos hasn’t done any arm breaking in the octagon, he has been putting a world of hurt on his opponent’s brains. Herb Dean was there up-close and personal to see Junior and Shane Carwin go toe-to-toe at UFC 131. At one point in the first round, Dos Santos was blasting a turtled-up Carwin who wasn’t answering with any punches of his own. Even though he wasn’t answering with strikes, he was covering up and did keep moving. Dos Santos asked Herb Dean to put an end to the fight, but Dean refused as he believed Carwin could continue, and he did. By the end of the round, Carwin’s face was a bloody mess but he still survived and proved Herb Dean right in letting the fight continue.
Only time will tell if Herb Dean will be stopping Frank Mir from breaking another arm or pulling Dos Santos off over a motionless body in this weekend’s main event. Frank Mir and Junior Dos Santos are set to fight for the UFC Heavyweight Title this Sunday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Read More: Herb Dean (News), UFC (News), UFC 146 (News)
Related:
About the Author
His work has appeared on BJPenn.com and Fox Sports. Follow him @mmaKirschner.
Last Saturday the UFC returned to action ins Brazil for UFC on FX 8:Belfort vs….
Have we got a great show for you guys tonight. We will break down the…
By JAKE CHASTAIN | When too many things seem to be going right the UFC…
Listen to internet radio with FIST TA CUFF RADIO on Blog Talk Radio This Sunday…
By Jake Chastain | After an odd sequence of events it seems that things for Mark…
Vitor Belfort’s beautifully placed spinning back kick KO over Luke Rockhold earned “The Phenom” Knockout…
The Main Event featured two of the top Middleweights in the world and they did…
Making his long-awaited UFC debut ‘Jacare’ Souza (17-3) did not disappoint as he dominated Chris…
The second fight on the Main Card looked to revive the card after the first…
The first fight of the Main Card started off with excitement, but ended with a…
By Evan Stoumbelis (@MMAEvan) Tonight fans will see the former UFC lightheavyweight champion Vitor Belfort…
Immediately following tonight’s UFC on FX 8 event, BJPENN.COM will host a live feed of…


















Good, I like Herb Dean.
Herb!!!
Herbs the man!
Herb is arguably the best ref out there. Him or Big John.
Big John stops fight WAY to early. sure hes thinking about the safety, but like 60% of his stoppages are bullshit.
Rosenthal is good too.
herb dean is a good ref but he always waits too long when fights should be stood up and then he jumps in to quickly to stand up fights when they shouldn’t.
also in TKO situations he likes to wave his hands in the air like its boxing, mean while the guy on the floor takes about 5 unnecessary punches
gunja dean!! one of the best refs for sure!
I prefer steve mazagati greatest refree of all time.
LOL. There is a a special corner of hell reserved for Mazzagatti and Cecil Peoples.
Fitch will be released after his next loss. I predict UFC wants rid of him ASAP as he is the most boring fighter and biggest promoters nightmare ever. Most REAL MMA fans would (WILL) celebrate when UFC gets rid of Fitch.
Fitch will be released after his next loss. I predict the UFC will get rid of him ASAP as he is the most boring fighter, and biggest promoter’s nightmare ever. Most REAL MMA fans would (WILL) celebrate when UFC gets rid of Fitch.
Ben Askren is more boring than Jon Fitch.
You’re DAMN right about that… I can not stand Fitch… and I will replay the Hendricks knockout until my fingers bleed from clicking PLAY… can’t tell ya how long I’ve waited for that!!!
#PrayersGetAnswered
Askren sux just as bad..but Fitch is a boring guy at least gsp throws kicks and stuff..but ben askren is the new boringest of all time!!
Get rid of askren (forever)
I’ve seen fights on bully beatdown that big jon let go longer then some in the ufc.aha..doobie dean is one of the best in the game.