EXCLUSIVE: Could Herb Dean be fired from the UFC after Alex Poatan's demand? Legendary referee responds to controversy.

Feeling wronged by Herb Dean's officiating, Alex Poatán He put him on his 'blacklist'. UFC White HouseAt an event held in June in Washington (USA), the Brazilian was brutally knocked out by Cyryl Gane In the second round, he squandered the chance to become champion in three different weight classes for the company. After falling in his heavyweight debut, the athlete began demanding that the professional be punished severely. Due to the strong stance taken by the company star, the SUPER FIGHTS He contacted legendary referee Mario Yamasaki for comment on the controversy.

In the second round of the fight, valid for the interim belt, Poatan was staggered by a jab from the Frenchman, fell, and received a series of blows on the ground. From then on, the Brazilian claimed that many of Gane's attacks hit the back of his neck, which constitutes an illegality according to MMA rules. Even in terrible condition, the athlete got up, but was knocked out soon after.

See too

A fan of Alex Poatan, Joe Rogan is impressed and praises Ciryl Gane in the UFC: 'He totally messed up'

Joe Rogan disagrees with Ciryl Gane's 'evil' and Herb Dean's ill intent towards Alex Poatan: 'He didn't do it on purpose'

UFC Ranking: Poatan and Carlos Prates on the rise; Understand all the changes and see the positions of the new AI system.

Poatan shaken after being knocked out by Gane at UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC

From then on, Poatan stated that Herb's time had passed, warned that he would not accept him as a referee for his future fights, and asked the UFC to remove him and the Athletic Commission to fire him. But, to the misfortune of the former UFC champion, Mario Yamasaki, in an exclusive interview with... SUPER FIGHTSHe stressed that it is virtually impossible for a referee as experienced as Dean to be removed from his position.

It's worth noting that, despite some controversial moves, the professional is considered by many to be one of the best in the sport and has won numerous awards throughout his career. Furthermore, Herb doesn't work for the UFC, therefore Dana White's organization cannot cut him.

According to the Brazilian, his colleague's reputation is so high that he won't even be suspended by the Athletic Commission or undergo retraining. Therefore, despite the risk of dismissal or suspension being almost nil, Yamasaki believes Dean needs to be more careful from now on and avoid further controversies, as he is in the spotlight and has become a target.

"I don't think it's right to send them away.Perhaps I won't referee Poatan's fights anymore, but... He is an excellent referee."I think the more pressure you have from that, the worse you get. Because all the other referees who looked to me, to Herb as a reference, think, 'Damn, if they made a mistake, what am I going to do?' When they step into the octagon, they're going to start making a lot more mistakes because of nervousness," said the veteran.

"I think that just by making a mistake, he'll learn and completely change the way he evaluates things from now on. But the fact that he made a mistake and explained himself is already a learning experience, because he's receiving so much criticism, and that will make him learn. I went through that, you know?" What would the hook be useful for him? Because He's not a bad referee."

"I think he should have meetings and follow-up conversations, like arbitrating less controversial fights to end things, but..." it's no use"It depends on the moment. You never know what you're going to get in a fight. Let's suppose that in his next fight he has another elbow problem and repeats the mistake, then I think that would open the door for that kind of thing."

"Until then, what will he say? He's been there for 20 years. He needs to analyze himself now, because sometimes you get arrogant. I was a little arrogant back then, and you end up tripping over yourself. I think now he needs to reflect, lower his crest a bit, and move on, because there are a lot of battles coming," he concluded.

Watch Ciryl Gane's knockout of Alex Poatan at UFC White House.

He just did that 😮‍💨@Ciryl_Gane creates an unforgettable moment as he earns the RD2 TKO victory!#UFCWhiteHouse LIVE NOW on @ParamountMore!

[Title fights presented by @Cryptocom ] pic.twitter.com/3gzvdR4kqe

- UFC (@ufc) June 15, 2026