UFC president Dana White has put referee Mario Yamasaki on blast, again.
Last weekend at UFC Belem, Yamasaki was heavily criticized for his injudicious decisions during the co-main event between Valentina Shevchenko and Priscila Cachoeira. The consensus was that Yamasaki should have stopped the fight sooner, as Cachoeira had no answer for the amount of damage Shevchenko was inflicting.
White took to Instagram after the fight to express his disdain for Yamaskai’s performance, but he wasn’t done there. Talking to Michael Bisping and Kenny Florian on the FS1 show UFC Tonight on Wednesday, White continued his criticism of Yamasaki.
“I think it’s disgusting. I think he’s disgusting. I never want to see him reffing ever again.”
When presented with the argument that Cachoeira could have tapped if the punishment was that severe, White dismissed the suggestion and made clear Yamasaki’s role as a referee is to protect the fighters.
“She didn’t tap, and that’s the thing. It’s one of the reasons that this sport is as big as it is, because most of you guys don’t tap, most of you guys stay in there. She did fight like a warrior, for that idiot to say he gave her the opportunity to be a warrior – no, no you moron, you’re in there to protect her from herself.
“He makes me sick, that guy has no business reffing fights and I promise you, you’re not gonna see him again.”
The Brazilian MMA Athletic Comission (CABMMA) stated last week that Yamasaki’s future officiating fights in Brazil is currently unknown.
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