8 Times UFC President Dana White Lost His Damn Mind
7. Dana Vs. Referees
A common misconception about the UFC is that the organisation is involved in the process of choosing the referees and judges for fights. Instead, any fights that take place somewhere where an athletic commission is presiding are officiated by individuals determined by the commission.
Because of this, Dana has no say over what referees are chosen to officiate the fights in the UFC when they are contested in the USA. One of the referees that has time and again drew the ire of White is Steve Mazagatti. After the American referee contentiously decided to take a point during a fight on The Ultimate Fighter, White let his feelings be known:
I've had my issues with Steve Mazzagatti for a very long time. Don't know the guy personally. He could be the nicest guy in the world. He's just not a good referee. A referee is a guy who is supposed to be in control of the fight the whole time. Not only are the fighters supposed to know what's going on but all the judges and fans are supposed to know what's going on. Nobody ever knows what's going on with Mazzagatti and his refereeing
Mazzagatti isn't the only referee to be on the wrong side of a Dana White rant. When it came to Mario Yamasaki making a mistake in the Kevin Lee vs. Michael Chiesa fight, White took to Instagram to explain his viewpoint a little less eloquently: