UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan believes that being a professional fighter is the most challenging job in the sport, but another position makes for a close second.
UFC veterans debate the occupational hazards of brain trauma and injuries. They also have to balance finances and training camps. Last of all, they have to endure brutal weight cuts that bring them to the brink of death. Rogan would abolish dangerous weight-cutting for all fighters.
However, Rogan believes that referees have some of the most demanding responsibilities in combat sports. Some referees are told to quit the sport when they make mistakes, and their duties often go unnoticed, yet one of the most crucial tasks in combat sports is keeping the fighters alive.
Joe Rogan believes refereeing is the second-most difficult job in combat sports
In a discussion on his podcast, Rogan got onto the topic of the responsibilities of refereeing, concluding that the core responsibility of the referee is to keep the fighters alive.
“The guys like Herb Dean, and the guys like Marc Goddard, those guys need more praise because it’s one of the most difficult jobs in all of combat sports – other than being a fighter – the second most difficult for sure is being a referee. Because you gotta make these calls in the middle of chaos in a world title fight where millions of people are watching!”
Rogan isn’t afraid to hound referees when they do their job incorrectly, but he admits they are human and make mistakes. As for the gold standard of refereeing, a few names stand head and shoulders above the rest, including Marc Goddard.
Marc Goddard on what it takes to be an MMA referee
According to seasoned professionals, becoming a referee requires relentless hard work and significant time honing the craft, even working for free. Esteemed MMA referee Goddard emphasizes that there are no shortcuts to becoming a skilled MMA referee.
Speaking with Fighters Only, Goddard outlined the process of getting your foot in the door for a referee position, and it’s no easy feat.
“Are you a practitioner in any martial art? No? Well, now is the time to start,” Goddard said. “Have you sourced or contacted a local MMA show or promoter to enquire about offering your services for free, so you could shadow judge, time keep and get to know the workings of event day, weigh-ins, rules’ meetings, medicals and fighter briefings? No? Well, what are you waiting for? Do it!”
Referees must possess essential medical training and a comprehensive understanding of their sport’s rules. For MMA referees like Goddard, this means having working knowledge of the Unified Rules of MMA and knowing how to enforce them decisively in the heat of the moment. Referees must maintain complete neutrality, making unbiased calls even when their decisions go against the crowd’s favor.
For any referee hopefuls, ‘Big’ John McCarthy, one of the pioneers of modern MMA, offers a three-day ‘hybrid referee/judging’ course from American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. The USA Mixed Martial Arts Kick International Federation also has a comprehensive guide on getting into the industry.