What is wrong with MMA referees?

Back in the day I remember when you didn’t know anything about boxing referees, they were nameless people who you cared nothing about. You knew when they were bad, you knew when they we’re good, but you didn’t care anything about their personality. Now, with MMA referees, you know the ones that are silly, you know the ones that are no-nonsense, and you know the ones that want to dance and sing for you. – The entertaining ref. I want them to have zero personality. I don’t want to know anything about them.

Referee telling fighters to work

One thing I hate about referees, is when they talk to the fighters while a full-blown exchange is taking place. I like when they tell fighters when a technique is legal or not legal, I like when they tell fighters to fight back, in certain cases, and I like when they warn fighters about blows to the back of the head. What I don’t like, is when they tell fighters to “work”. Why the hell are referees telling fighters to work? Are the referee is working for the promotion? Are the referees working for the sponsors? The referees are definitely not coaches, so why are they telling the fighters to work? I think they tell fighters to “work” because they want to separate them. They actually do not know what “work” is. Why would you want to separate that a fighter that is holding down a Division one wrestler? I’ll tell you why, because you are ignorant about wrestling, and you’re ignorant about “Work”. I can understand if both fighters are stuck in a weird reverse north-south position and they are scared that if they stand up, they might eat a knee or something, but those cases are rare.

Referees separating fighters

Why would a referee separate fighters, when one fighter is in the other’s guard? If a fighter is in another fighter’s guard, it’s a legitimate fighting position and it-should-not-be- se-pa-ra-ted. The fighter on top can cause significant damage to the fighter on the bottom at any time. Passing the guard is optional for some high level ground fighters and for these fighters, there is no reason to “Advance” – which is another command referees seem to give. Fighters clinched up against the cage, whether they are throwing strikes or not, should not be separated. The referee is try to impact the game too much. They are trying to put their stamp on the on the fights, and make their mark. None of this MMA shit is about referees.

Referee standing fighters up

if I’m an MMA fighter and I decide to lay on a fighter on the ground because I’m tired and I’ve been wrestling for 10 minutes it is my prerogative to lay on that fighter for as long as I can and no referee should stand me up.

Referee Keith Peterson is unbroken