
via Getty
Glasgow , United Kingdom – 16 July 2017; Referee Marc Goddard with Charlie Ward after he was knocked outby Galore Bofando during their welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night Glasgow in the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

via Getty
Glasgow , United Kingdom – 16 July 2017; Referee Marc Goddard with Charlie Ward after he was knocked outby Galore Bofando during their welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night Glasgow in the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Referees in the sport of MMA are underrated. It takes a lot of expertise to make split-second decisions that could save the careers and lives of the fighters in the cage. Talking about great referees, Marc Goddard has practically done it all.
Referees in MMA take risks in the octagon as well. Premature stoppages are likely to change the course of a fighter’s edge in the fight, whereas late stoppages can be fatal to a fighter’s health. Good refereeing involves timely action from the individual by striking a balance between all the facets of the MMA sport.
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John Kavanaugh, Conor McGregor‘s coach, posted a story in which he explicitly stated that Marc Goddard was the “World’s best referee“.
Marc Goddard has been a referee for some of the greatest title fights in the sport’s history and is also known for his controversies in the octagon.
Marc Goddard: Exemplary, straightforward, and controversial
The individual is best known as the “British UFC Referee.” Most fighters and fans widely tout Goddard as one of the greatest referees in the sport of MMA.
It is very rare for a referee to have a spotless track record. With fame and exposure to numerous title fights, Goddard has had his moments of controversy in the ring.
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A fighter attacked him in the ring after Goddard forcefully broke up the fighter from a chokehold on his opponent. The fighter’s opponent already tapped, indicating the end of the fight. The fighter didn’t stop his choke despite Goddard interfering, which led to the latter forcefully breaking him up from the chokehold.
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Ahmad Al Darmaki was just DQ'd after he refused to release an RNC against Bogdan Kirilenko. Things got physical between him and ref Marc Goddard.#UAEWarriors12 pic.twitter.com/XF1azA1Jzs
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) July 31, 2020
This led to the fighter getting physical with Goddard, which later on led to his disqualification. This was practically unheard of in MMA. Goddard was also prey to Colby Covington’s wrath online after stopping Covington’s fight with Kamaru Usman prematurely during UFC 245.
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Also Read: Five Times Colby Covington Broke Character and Exposed His True Self
He made a judgment call, and not everyone was happy with it. But again, it’s all part of the job. The referee does what he thinks is best for a fighter’s life. Not everyone would agree, but he does what he does.
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