If you want to be a referee in MMA, Mario Yamasaki has the tips you need.
Refereeing in MMA is arguably the second toughest job in the sport, outside of being a fighter yourself. As Yamasaki could attest to, it is also a brutally unforgiving job, as the repercussions that come from making a mistake as a referee are dire, and the reputation that comes with that will follow you for the rest of your career.
Mario Yamasaki Shares Secrets To Becoming A Ref
Mario Yamasaki stopped being a referee for the UFC in 2018 following a controversial stoppage that left Dana White calling for his job. However, he still referees smaller events on occasion and has a ton of knowledge about the way that side of the sport is operated.
While speaking with Talkin’ MMA, Yamasaki was asked his opinion about what it takes to become a referee in today’s version of MMA. His biggest takeaways were to learn from those who have experience and use that knowledge to build a relationship with the athletic commissions.
“The first thing you should do, is look for an instructor. I have a course, John McCarthy has a course, Herb (Dean) has a course. So do take a course from one of the referees, and if you pass, then you have something to start going to the commissioners and say ‘Look, I did the test, the course I passed.’ That’s a relationship you have to create,” Yamasaki said.
“Then, watch a lot of fights, looking in a different way, looking in the referee’s eyes, looking in the judge’s eyes. The referee’s eyes are one thing, the judge’s eyes is a different thing. They see two different things. It depends, you want to be a judge, you’ve got to look at the fight one way. You want to be a referee, you’ve got to look at it a different way.”
This is sound advice from one of the most experienced referees that MMA has to offer, in Mario Yamasaki. This is a sport that is always in need of knowledgeable and skilled referees, and this seems like a great place to start.
Would you ever consider becoming an MMA referee?
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