Marc Goddard News

Tom Taylor - December 1, 2020

Veteran MMA referee Marc Goddard was not impressed by a recent fight involving a 529-pound man and a 139-pound woman. The bout in question occured in Moscow, Russia last week, under the Nashe Delo Fights banner. In the early going, it looked like the male fighter, Grigory Chistyakov, might come out on top. In the end, however, Darina Madzyuk turned the tables on her male foe, winning with a volley of strikes.

Adam Martin - October 11, 2020

Referee Marc Goddard praised middleweight Impa Kasanganay for his positive attitude following a brutal KO loss to Joaquin Buckley. Kasanganay was on the wrong end of one of the greatest highlight-reel knockouts in UFC history when Buckley finished him with a spinning back kick in their preliminary card bout at UFC Fight Island 5. Buckley was able to land the kick with his right leg after Kasanganay had caught a kick with his left leg, leading to an incredible, one-of-a-kind KO. The knockout video has gone viral and Buckley was given a $50,000 bonus for his efforts.

Tom Taylor - September 4, 2020

Referee Marc Goddard says it was an “honor” to officiate the last fight Daniel Cormier will ever compete in—but that’s nothing new. Cormier, the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, competed in his retirement fight in the UFC 252 main event in August, giving up a close decision in a bid to reclaim the UFC heavyweight title from Stipe Miocic.

Tom Taylor - August 16, 2020

Referee Marc Goddard, who was the third man in the Octagon for the UFC 252 heavyweight title fight between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier, has issued a public apology. Mid-way through Miocic and Cormier’s fight, the former landed an inadvertent eye-poke that left the latter with compromised vision. When Cormier complained about sustaining an eye-poke, however, Goddard denied that a foul had been committed.

Natasha Hooper - February 19, 2020

Referee Marc Goddard says he received death threats after his decision to stop the UFC 245 main event between welterweight champ Kamaru Usman and challenger Colby Covington. After four rounds of non-stop action in the main event of UFC 245, Usman knocked Covington down in the fifth. Goddard intervened and put a stop to the action, awarding Usman the TKO victory.

Adam Martin - February 17, 2020

MMA referee Marc Goddard has spoken publicly for the first time about the controversial stoppage in the Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington fight at UFC 245. Goddard stopped the welterweight title fight with just 50 seconds left in the fifth round in what was up until the point of the stoppage a very close fight. Heading into the final round, one judge had the fight tied up 38-38 while the two other judges had it 39-37 for Usman and 39-37 for Covington, who felt the fight was stopped early.

Chris Taylor - December 15, 2019

Referee Marc Goddard had the responsibility of overseeing last night’s UFC 245 main event between welterweights Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman. The highly anticipated scrap lived up to expectations as ‘Chaos’ and ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ proceeded to go to war right from the opening bell.

Tom Taylor - June 2, 2019

In 2017, Conor McGregor found himself in hot water after getting physical with referee Marc Goddard amid some confusion during his teammate Charlie Ward’s fight. As it turns out, this is not the first time the Irishman had an issue with Goddard.

Tom Taylor - March 4, 2019

On Saturday night, in the co-main event of UFC 235, Kamaru Usman authored a dominant decision victory over long-time UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley. During the fight referee Marc Goddard continually stood Usman and Woodley up, oftentimes when some onlookers felt it wasn’t necessary. UFC commentator Jon Anik, who was on duty for the card, shares that opinion. Yes! Wildly inconsistent. And Usman was working his ass off.

Tom Taylor - February 12, 2019

Not everybody agreed with the stoppage in last weekend’s Jim Crute vs. Sam Alvey fight. UFC President Dana White, for example, was adamant that referee Marc Goddard stopped the action too early, and that Alvey should have been given a bit more time to recover. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Marc Goddard gave his take on the stoppage in this fight. In hindsight, he admits that he perhaps could have handled the situation differently, but he also reminds his detractors that he’s forced to act decisively in mere milliseconds, oftentimes when a fighter’s safety is on the line.

Tom Taylor - February 10, 2019

Mid-way through the first round of a compelling UFC 234 light heavyweight contest, Australia’s Jim Crute rocked his foe Sam Alvey, leaving the American on spaghetti legs. With Alvey hurt, Crute quickly swarmed to force a stoppage, and eventually got one. Yet many onlookers felt that stoppage came a little too early — that includes UFC President Dana White. Speaking at the UFC 234 post-fight press conference, Dana White criticized referee Marc Goddard for his handiwork in this Jim Crute vs. Sam Alvey matchup.

Tom Taylor - September 23, 2018

Last night, in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo, Thiago Santos stepped into the cage with short-notice replacement opponent Eryk Anders. Toward the end of the third round, Santos began unloading on Anders on the ground, punishing him with thudding punches and elbows to the head. Remarkably, however, Anders survived until round’s end. Unfortunately, Anders could not regain his footing once the round was over. Although it his cornermen attempted to peel him off the canvas, he collapsed not once, but twice, which prompted referee Marc Goddard to wave the fight off.