No matter the sport, referees play a critical role in ensuring fair competition. However, even the most skilled and experienced referees can make mistakes, and these mistakes can have a significant impact on the outcome of a match, affecting the athletes’ careers and potentially their health. This issue was raised by Joe Rogan on his podcast.

Recently, Action Bronson, a big fight fan and rapper, joined Joe Rogan as the two discussed the tough spot referees are in highlighting a controversial stoppage in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Imavov.

Joe Rogan criticizes the referee for a serious mistake at UFC Fight Night

The UFC world is still buzzing about that crazy stoppage from last weekend’s main event, and the ref, Jason Herzog, is still taking heat for it. During ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ episode #2164, the UFC commentator and Action Bronson discussed the tough life of a combat sports ref- the pressure, the danger. Bronson stressed how refs have this tremendous weight on their shoulders but can’t exactly come out and defend themselves in public after a call.

While discussing referee accountability to fighters and themselves, Joe Rogan turned his attention to last week’s controversial stoppage in the UFC on ESPN 57 main event between Jared Cannonier and Nassourdine Imavov. The UFC analysts seemed unimpressed by the calls taken during the fight as he mentioned, “I just think he made a mistake. I think sometimes guys make mistakes and maybe he thought Jared was out and maybe he thought he was out on his feet and he was seeing that he was gonna get again. And then when he makes the call, all of a sudden, Jared covers.”

However, this UFC referee stoppage controversy isn’t the first to spark debate on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Remember the legendary UFC brawler Tank Abbott? He appeared on Rogan’s show and took some shots at Big John McCarthy, a highly respected figure in MMA officiating.

UFC legend revealed shocking facts about “Big” John McCarthy

Tank Abbott and Big John McCarthy are two guys who were there from the very beginning of the UFC. They both made their mark on the sport, but for a reason, things went south between them. Even after all these years, Abbott still seems to have some bad blood with Big John McCarthy.

During the recent JRE MMA podcast episode, Joe Rogan mentioned he liked McCarthy. Abbott, in a classic manner, fired back, saying, “Well, you might like him, but, he leveraged his made up persona of ‘Big’ John to get me kicked out of the show. He and his wife, they got me literally kicked out of the show.”

Subsequently, this piqued Rogan’s curiosity, and he pressed Abbott for details. The 59-year-old then unloaded a bombshell claiming Big John McCarthy was the reason he got kicked out of the UFC. He painted a picture of their contrasting backgrounds: Abbott, a rough-and-tumble street fighter, and McCarthy, a cop with the LAPD.

What are your thoughts about the claims made on Joe Rogan’s show? Let us know in the comments.