Dana White criticized the judging and refereeing at UFC 307, expressing dissatisfaction with controversial scorecards and referee decisions, particularly regarding stalling tactics and improper rule enforcement during fights.
Dana White had plenty to celebrate at UFC 307, but the judges and referees? Not so much. Controversial scorecards were the order of the day. Julianna Pena‘s split-decision win over Raquel Pennington in the co-main event? That one really stood out.
White didn’t name names when criticizing the scoring, but his dissatisfaction was clear. “I thought the judging tonight was atrocious,” he lamented at the post-fight presser. “Felt like I was at a boxing match in Ireland.”
Was he hinting at Mario Bautista‘s split-decision victory over Jose Aldo? Maybe. Referee Mike Beltran certainly didn’t escape his scrutiny. Bautista’s persistent takedown attempts and clinch against the cage frustrated White.
“Common sense,” White emphasized. “If a guy’s stalling, break it up immediately.” He wants refs more involved when fighters use stalling tactics to dodge striking exchanges.
And the scoring? White can’t fathom how Bautista won rounds without causing damage. “Referees should be more active,” he insisted. “How do you win if you’re not trying to fight?”
During prelims, referee Dave Seljestad broke up Cesar Almeida and Ihor Potieria seconds after they clinched. The commentary team called him out for treating it like a boxing match.
To add insult to injury, Seljestad failed to enforce rules after Potieria endured several eye pokes without penalties or warnings for Almeida. White missed this fiasco but heard from Marc Ratner afterward.
“That ain’t happening again tonight,” Ratner assured him. Seljestad didn’t return for the rest of UFC 307; his stint ended with Almeida vs. Potieria. Sometimes, even in MMA, reality packs a punch!