Herb Dean should be suspended due to poor officiating, says retired UFC star Henry Cejudo

Henry Cejudo is the latest fighter to lash out at Herb Dean for his questionable officiating, and he’s calling for action.

Dean’s work as a referee has been looked at under a microscope recently due to his failure to deduct points for fouls. Alex Pereira was infuriated with the veteran official for failing to recognize Ciryl Gane hitting him in the back of the head during the UFC Freedom 250 co-headliner. While Dean defended himself in a video, he ended up coming under fire for his performance at UFC Baku.

Dean officiated a middleweight scrap between Sharabutdin Magomedov and Michel Pereira, and he was late to warn Shara “Bullet,” who was clearly pulling his opponent hair. Magomedov then poked Pereira in the eye, and through it all, Dean failed to take a point.

While most live crowds are usually pleased to see Dean, many fighters and pundits are getting fed up. During an edition of the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast, Cejudo said Dean needs to be held accountable. He even called for a suspension.

“Herb Dean, if you’re about it, bro, make a decision,” Cejudo said. “Take a point. People have lost an eye. People are losing paychecks, dude, and you’re out there getting the standard pay. You and your homies are just, ‘Whatever. We’re all together.’

“These guys are so afraid to take points that it is hurting the sport of mixed martial arts, and it has to stop,” Cejudo said. “You’ve got to suspend him and you’ve got to hold him accountable because people are losing their vision or people are losing their damn money.”

It’s not often that athletic commissions will publicly hold referees and judges publicly accountable. It’s been a major criticism from the combat sports community for decades at this point. With the heat on Dean seemingly reaching peak levels, time will tell if any action is taken.

Do you agree with Henry Cejudo? Should Herb Dean face a suspension due to questionable officiating, or do you think that would be too harsh? Let your voice be heard in the comments below.