Jorge Masvidal believes it\u2019s time for veteran referee Herb Dean to step away from officiating.<\/p>\n
Dean has been the third man in the Octagon for over 20 years now and is among the most frequent faces seen at the UFC level. However, it\u2019s been a difficult year for Dean<\/a>, who is under the microscope after he failed to call any illegal blows in the finish sequence between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira. \u201cPoatan\u201d has publicly campaigned to have Dean canned<\/a>, and since then, every remotely questionable decision is under fire.<\/p>\n Consider \u201cGamebred\u201d among the growing camp of the highly critical. Per the longtime veteran, Dean\u2019s issue stems from \u201cnervous energy,\u201d which results in an inability to act definitively. Masvidal is likely referring to the fan-named \u201cHerb Dean shuffle,\u201d an in-and-movement that Dean occasionally makes while deciding whether or not to intervene in a fight (see it here in the recent Esteban Ribovics vs. King Green KO)<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got nervous energy, why you doing that bro?\u201d Masvidal wondered on the Deep Waters podcast<\/a> (via Home of Fight<\/a>). \u201cHe could calmly [separate the fighters]. You\u2019re supposed to protect the fighters. He\u2019s the most nervous guy in there, I don\u2019t think he should be an official. I think his time is done.\u201d<\/p>\n There is no evidence that any commissions are considering benching Dean, though individual fighters have the right to request a different officiant.<\/p>\n