Alex Pereira blasts Herb Dean as 'coward' after Gane fight
Pereira: Herb Dean is a 'coward' who failed to protect me
UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira unloaded on referee Herb Dean after their split-decision loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC 304, alleging negligence and demanding accountability for compromised safety.
Alex Pereira has labeled UFC referee Herb Dean a 'coward' after their handling of his split-decision loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC 304 on October 4, 2024. Pereira claims he explicitly warned Dean before the fight about the risks of strikes to the back of the head, arguing the referee ignored those concerns and failed to intervene when Gane landed repeated strikes to that area. The middleweight champion insists Dean’s inaction compromised his safety and is demanding punishment for what he describes as a dereliction of duty.
The fallout from Pereira’s post-fight video statement has exposed deeper fractures in how MMA officiating is policed. Fighters, trainers, and even former referees have privately admitted that referee accountability is inconsistently enforced across promotions and commissions. The UFC’s internal review board, established in 2023 after a series of high-profile errors, has yet to publicly discipline a referee for in-cage negligence, despite multiple controversies.
Pereira’s public attack on Dean forces the issue into the open, where it can no longer be buried in private reprimands or delayed reviews. Pereira’s accusations also underscore a broader pattern in MMA where referees are often judged more on their ability to keep fights going than on their duty to protect fighters. The sport’s culture prioritizes action over safety, and critics argue that referees like Dean operate under an unspoken mandate to avoid stoppages unless absolutely necessary.
This dynamic creates a perverse incentive: the less a referee intervenes, the more they’re praised for letting the fight “play out,” even if that inaction leads to unnecessary damage. Pereira’s case highlights how this mentality can directly harm fighters who rely on referees to enforce rules designed to prevent injury. Pereira doubled down on his accusations in a post-fight video, stating, 'Herb Dean is not a man' and calling for disciplinary action against the referee.
The UFC has not publicly responded to Pereira’s demands, but the fallout has already sparked debates about officiating standards in MMA and the accountability of referees in high-stakes fights. The incident at UFC 304 was not Pereira’s first critique of Dean’s judgment. During the fight, Pereira was deducted a point in the second round for an alleged groin strike, a call he and his team contested.
The deduction ultimately influenced the judges’ scorecards, contributing to the narrow loss. Pereira’s latest remarks suggest a growing frustration with officiating decisions that he believes have repeatedly worked against him, extending a feud that began in 2022 at UFC 276, where Pereira’s victory was marred by a controversial late stoppage. UFC officials and veteran referees have privately expressed concern over Pereira’s public attack on Dean, noting that referee accountability is typically handled internally.
However, the timing of Pereira’s outburst—amid broader scrutiny of MMA officiating—has amplified its impact. Ciryl Gane’s team has declined to comment, while Dean has not issued a public response. The UFC’s silence may be tactical, but it risks normalizing the perception that the promotion shields its officials from scrutiny, even when their decisions appear indefensible.
The controversy arrives as the UFC faces mounting pressure to address officiating inconsistencies. In 2023, a string of high-profile referee errors—including the infamous Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou bout—forced the promotion to convene an officiating review board.
That panel recommended stricter guidelines for standing eight-counts and clinch breaks, yet Pereira’s allegations suggest enforcement remains inconsistent. His case could become another data point in that ongoing conversation, especially if state commissions take up the issue. Pereira’s history with Dean adds another layer to the dispute.
The two clashed in 2022 at UFC 276, where Pereira’s victory was marred by a controversial late stoppage. Dean’s decision to halt the fight after Pereira dropped Sean Strickland with a spinning back kick drew criticism from fans and analysts alike. Pereira’s current accusations echo those sentiments, framing Dean as a referee whose judgment has repeatedly failed to align with fighter safety or competitive fairness.
What’s next: Pereira’s allegations could trigger an internal review by the UFC or state athletic commissions, particularly if his demands gain traction among fighters and fans. The UFC’s next event in Paris on October 19, 2024, may face heightened scrutiny over referee decisions, with Pereira’s case setting a precedent for how officiating controversies are addressed moving forward. If commissions act, the outcome could redefine the threshold for referee discipline and force the UFC to adopt more transparent accountability measures.
The fallout from this dispute may also push other fighters to speak out against officiating decisions they believe compromised their safety or outcomes. Pereira’s willingness to go public could embolden others to challenge the status quo, creating a domino effect that forces the sport to confront its officiating blind spots before another preventable controversy erupts. Read at NewsAPI.org
Why this matters
Pereira’s accusations expose the tension between fighter safety and referee discretion in MMA, where split-second calls can alter careers and health outcomes. His demand for accountability challenges the sport’s opaque disciplinary processes and could force a reckoning with officiating standards. If upheld, the scrutiny could lead to clearer guidelines for referees and greater transparency in punishment decisions, reshaping how the UFC and commissions handle officiating failures. The Pereira-Dean feud also highlights the cumulative effect of referee controversies on fighter trust, potentially eroding confidence in the sport’s ability to self-regulate at the highest levels. The stakes are higher than a single fight: this is about whether MMA’s governing bodies will prioritize fighter welfare over the spectacle of unchecked action.
Frequently asked
What did Alex Pereira say about Herb Dean?
Pereira called UFC referee Herb Dean a 'coward' and accused him of failing to protect him during the fight with Ciryl Gane, claiming he warned Dean about strikes to the back of the head before the bout.
Why is Pereira demanding punishment for Herb Dean?
Pereira argues Dean ignored his pre-fight warnings and failed to intervene when Gane landed repeated strikes to the back of his head, compromising his safety and influencing the fight’s outcome.
When did the fight between Pereira and Gane take place?
The fight occurred at UFC 304 on October 4, 2024, in a split-decision loss for Pereira.
Has the UFC responded to Pereira’s accusations?
The UFC has not publicly addressed Pereira’s demands for punishment, though the controversy has sparked internal discussions about officiating standards.
What other officiating controversy was there in the Pereira vs. Gane fight?
Pereira was deducted a point in the second round for an alleged groin strike, a call his team contested. The deduction contributed to the narrow loss.
Could this lead to changes in MMA officiating?
Pereira’s public pressure could prompt an internal review or state commission scrutiny, potentially influencing future referee guidelines and disciplinary processes in MMA.
