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[HammerFist]

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
by Brian Knapp (bknapp@sherdog.com)

"Big" John McCarthy will propose legalizing knees to the head of a grounded opponent when the Association of Boxing Commissions meets for its annual convention July 2-5 in Montreal. McCarthy, who retired from officiating in December, made the revelation during Sherdog.com's Beatdown radio show on Monday.

"It's a good technique," said McCarthy, who refereed 535 matches during his 15-year career. "It's a very effective tool, and it opens fights up."

The most recognized referee in the game has met privately with ABC representatives in the last few months to discuss amendments to the sport's Unified Rules of Combat. The ABC will unveil their efforts at its annual gathering, where its membership of nearly 80 state and tribal athletic commissions throughout North America will review them.

McCarthy also addressed the controversy surrounding referee Dan Miragliotta, who was criticized for his officiating in the Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson-James Thompson (Pictures) main event at EliteXC "Primetime" on May 31 in Newark, N.J., and the Brandon Vera (Pictures)-Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) heavyweight matchup at UFC 85 on Saturday in London.

"A lot of people are all over Dan," McCarthy said. "Refereeing - it's opinion. Some people are going to look at you and say, ‘You're right,' and some people are going to look at you and say, ‘You're wrong.' We're all human."

Miragliotta made what many viewed as a crucial error in judgment in the Ferguson-Thompson bout on CBS, when he forced the fighters to stand after Thompson had passed Ferguson's guard and secured side control on the ground in the second round.

"When your opponent gets to side control, there are very few things you can do," said McCarthy, who was offered the chance to officiate the Ferguson-Thompson fight. "When you take a fighter out of side control, you're giving the advantage to one fighter over another. James was in a dominant position, and Dan stood them up."

Miragliotta again found himself in the spotlight over the weekend, when he halted the match between Vera and Werdum at UFC 85. Werdum, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, had achieved a dominant position and was striking from the full mount, though Vera appeared to be deflecting most of Pride Fighting Championships veteran's shots when Miragliotta intervened with 20 seconds to go in the first round.

Vera lashed out at the referee in a post-fight press conference.

"That ref sucks," he said. "I'm pissed."

McCarthy admits Miragliotta left himself open for criticism.

"Would I have stopped the fight? No, I wouldn't," McCarthy said. "You've got to give Brandon a chance to get out of that position, and you've got to give Fabricio the chance to make it a definitive victory."

Miragliotta, however, was not the only referee around which questions swirled. Herb Dean (Pictures)'s decision-making was the subject of post-fight analysis, too, after he penalized Nate Marquardt twice in his middleweight showdown with Thales Leites (Pictures). Marquardt was docked for throwing what was clearly an illegal knee in the second round and was penalized again in the third for an elbow that looked clean on replays. McCarthy described an illegal strike to the back of the head as one that lands from the crown of the head to the base of the spine with a one-inch variance on to each side of the centerline. McCarthy referenced a mohawked fighter to illustrate the illegal area.

"Was it illegal?" McCarthy asked in regard Marquardt's elbow. "No, it wasn't."

McCarthy also pointed out that nothing was said about Marquardt's pile driver at the end of the fight in which he hoisted Leites and spiked him on his head - a move that was blatantly illegal under unified rules.

"That's one throw you cannot do," McCarthy said. "The only other time I've seen it was when Bob Sapp (Pictures) did it to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) in Pride."

McCarthy maintains an active role in helping to improve judging and officiating at MMA events. He railed against the current establishment in the sport and said he retired as a referee because of the "good old boys" network that existed within some athletic commissions.

"I left because people were put into positions based on who they know, not what they know," McCarthy said. "It really drove me nuts. I did not want to be a part of that. It's a problem within our sport, and it needs to change."

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Fuck yea McCarthy is the man, and i agree fully with knees on the ground opening fights up, you see so often in a fight the aggressor or the top mounted fighter will have to search for openings he wont usually find on a covered up opponent.
Knees on the ground will surely solve this and who better to lead the cause but Big John himself.

[ILJO]

thats great news imo.

I know Dana has also been open about wanting knees to the head of a grounded opponent

hopefully the ahtletic comissions will accept this

[ninjastix]

This is awesome news and he has my support 110%...

[Mr. Raider]

We can only hope, I also think the soccer kick should be made legal also. Lets just make it simple and adopt all of prides old rules. Nobody ever died in pride fighting. Knees to a grounded opponent will change the UFC for the better IMO.

[Bigshanks666]

I would love for knees to the head on the ground to be legal but I wont hold my breath. Hopefully Big John can get things done. I believe if the knees were allowed it would cut down on the lay and pray.

[HammerFist]

Originally Posted by Bigshanks666

I would love for knees to the head on the ground to be legal but I wont hold my breath. Hopefully Big John can get things done. I believe if the knees were allowed it would cut down on the lay and pray.

[STruC1x]

Hmmmm...

As a fan, I like to see knee's allowed.

As a fighter, chances of a heavyweight putting my courier to end with single knee strike, it's scary.


I agree the fights will open, but I still think safety should come first.

"Mcarthy is the best Ref I've ever seen".
Although earlier on, he too used to make mistakes. But, he's the man!

[hunterkiller]

Here's something I don't understand. DREAM allows knees to the head of a downed opponent but no elbows. Allow the knees and the elbows. It's still less violent than boxing.

[Bigshanks666]

Originally Posted by chuck norris

Thats pretty humorous but Im not sure I get it. Is Arona known for LnP?

[maxp84z]

I think Knees of a downed opponent should only be legal when REAL professionals of the sport are competing. Same with soccer kicks, stomps AND elbows. I think you should have a certain number of professional fights (atleast 3 or 4) before fighting with knees to the head of a downed opponent/soccer kicks, stomps and elbows. That I consider MMA LITE... for the noobs of the sport.

I think the UFC should adopt all the rules of PRIDE. + adding the elbows. The judging was better, the action was more fluid, etc... and WITH THE CAGE you dont have all the restarts!!!! THIS WOULD BE AMAZING FOR THE SPORT IF THE UFC ADOPTED PRIDE RULES.

I also have an idea for bad calls made by the referees. I believe that bad calls should be disputed. (somewhat like the NFL challenging a play) I believe if a referee deducts a point for an illegal blow of some sort, the fighter being penalized should have the option to have 1 challenge option to dispute the call. This is what will happen, they'll call for a timeout to review the tape, amongst ALL other referees to see the tape to see if it really was a bad call, if the evidence proves that the fighters was in the right then the fighters doesnt get the penalty deduction... IF the fighter was in the wrong, and it really were an illegal blow, the fighters is then fined 25 percent of his total purse. (WHICH IS ALOT and you'll have to be pretty F'n confident to challenge a call like that) AND both the fighter corner and the fighter have to challenge it.. It cant only be only one or the other. (because a fighter can be dazed and ask for a challenge when clearly he's in the wrong it would be up to the corner to disagree with the challenge to save his fighter from losing 25 percent of his purse)...I dont know, i think it would be very interesting if that were possible. I mean, how many times have you seen a fight over to soon????? how many times have you seen a bad call? a point deduction??? THE TAPE NEVER LIES.... and it would still be up to the referees...

NOW I dont think this endangers a fighter... I think this would just help the sport. I mean, when a bad call is made, we, the fans and the fighter has to live with it... atleast with challenging a bad call, (Yes I know the gamble would be huge for the fighter) atleast the referees take a 2nd look to possibly overturn a decision made after reviewing the evidence (the tape)... anybody like this idea??? PM me.