"Too Early, Too Late"

Steve Mazzagatti, Yves Lavigne?  Ring a bell?  Well the fighters they officiate usually do.

Time and again both these respectable UFC (or MMA) referees have been criticized for early and late stoppages.  Latest of the victims were Martin Kampann in UFC 103 and Chris Leben in UFC 102.

These two events had different reactions both from fans and the fighters themselves.  Kampann believes it was an early stoppage and Leben, well, he went out and had convulsions due to a choke.  Fighters usually are the "victims" of early stoppages as they feel they can still go on despite their glassy eyes and buckled knees.  Fans will say so much and debate endlessly on what should the call have been.

But what should the calls really have been?  The answer: Whatever the referees call it.  It may be early, it may be late, it could look ugly, it could look great.  Whatever they call it, it is the call.

Yes, the 3rd man in the octagon is the only person in the world who sees the action up close and personal.  He sees more than anyone of what happens there.  But they are not the only one's responsible inside the octagon.  The fighters themselves are also responsible, their corner men are also responsible.  These are the people directly involved in the fight and who has the best knowledge of what is happening to the fighters.

Yeah, the fighters, the strong warriors who put their blood, sweat and tears on the line to make a living out of fighting.  Arguably the best athletes in the world.  Full of pride, full of confidence and some have a whole lot to say.  In reality, they are the ones who would know best about their condition, or so they say.  Let's face it, they won't quit.  It's really brave of them not to but if they think about it more, they'd actually prolong their careers by doing so at times they're in deep < explicit>. But then again, they won't.

Their corner men also has the power to stop the fight if they think their fighter cannot or should not continue anymore due to severe conditions.  But then again, they won't.  Why?  I don't know.  It could be that their fighters told them not to unless they are not moving anymore or pale because of loss of blood or something.  It could be they also "feel" they know their fighter and "thinks" that he fighter can continue.  It could be that they don't want their fighter to throw a tantrum to them after the fight.  Well I honestly do not know.  But commonly, they do not throw in the towel.

Where does that leave us then?  Yes, the referees that we love to criticize so much.  Well it is their job anyway, to oversee the fight. Call it early, they don't get it easy from the fans and especially the fighters.  Call it late, it's worse, they hear it from their bosses.  But whatever they call it, I believe that they called it to the best of their senses.  Either way they won't get it easy.  One thing sad about it is when they do their jobs well, the praises are not as much as the criticisms they receive for a "wrong" call.

The referees are there to protect the fighters and impose the rules of the sport.  Just like any other person doing their job, they will have bad days.  But I'd rather have them call an early stoppage than a late one where their responsibility of protecting the fighters are in jeopardy.  Criticisms will be there, who cares?  Go do their job and let's see how you fair.

To Steve and Yves! Keep up the good work!