Jorge Masvidal blasts UFC official Herb Dean over late TKO call at UFC 325.
Former UFC title challenger Jorge Masvidal didn’t hold back in reacting to the co-main event stoppage at UFC 325, sharply criticizing long-time veteran referee Herb Dean and calling him “the worst referee to ever exist.”
The controversy stemmed from the co-main event at UFC 325 on January 31, 2026, in Sydney, Australia, where Benoît Saint-Denis defeated Dan Hooker by second-round TKO (4:45) after a sustained ground-and-pound assault that forced Dean to step in. Many fans and observers felt the stoppage came late with Hooker absorbing multiple unanswered strikes before Dean intervened.
Reacting on his YouTube channel, Masvidal didn’t mince words he questioned how Dean continues to officiate at the highest level. Masvidal acknowledged Saint-Denis’ performance, but said the situation raised concerns about fighter safety.
“Who’s the referee? Let me guess, Herb Dean,” Masvidal said in a reaction video on his YouTube channel. “Holy smoke, what is he waiting for? Stop it, bro. Damn, Herb. I don’t know how this dude is still refereeing. What is he waiting for?
“ Yeah, Herb, sometime today, huh? It’s just a fight, no rush. The guy’s definitely fighting back intelligently, Herb.”
Masvidal pointed out that, in his view, Hooker was left in a vulnerable position for too long, taking unanswered elbows, back fists and face shots while trying to escape before the stoppage finally occurred. “Wow,” Masvidal said. “I don’t want to take nothing away from Saint Denis’ performance because it was amazing, but damn, as I’ve said my whole f*cking career, Herb Dean is the worst referee to ever exist. I mean, f*ck, does he suck. Holy smokes, is he bad. A fighter especially like Hooker, though he’s obviously on his way out, he’s not going to quit, he’s not going to tap. You have to take that guy out, but he’s obviously in this position for over a minute and a half and he’s eating shots the whole time from elbows to backfists to the face, getting choked, and then now the guy has obviously no energy because he took all of it to escape the choke.
“He’s stuck in that position, had maybe 15 unanswered shots and still nothing. Still had another 15 unanswered shots. Worst referee I’ve seen.”
Herb Dean, a well-known figure in MMA officiating, has been a UFC referee since 2004 and has overseen some of the sport’s biggest moments. Despite his longevity and reputation, his handling of UFC 325’s co-main event has reignited debate within the MMA community about timing and fighter protection in stoppages. Critics argue referees must balance giving athletes a chance to recover with stepping in to prevent unnecessary damage and not everyone agrees on where that line should fall.
Masvidal made it clear his comments were not meant as a personal attack on Dean the man, but rather as harsh criticism of his performance as an official. The debate is likely to continue among fans and fighters alike, especially given Dean’s long tenure and high-profile role in the sport. “It’s nothing personal against him, because as a human being I think Herb’s a great dude,” Masvidal said. “I’ve heard great things, I’ve been around him a lot. As far as refereeing is going, I don’t know what it is, he just don’t got it.”
