Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall Join Fans to Call Out Herb Dean Again for Controversial Officiating at UFC Baku

UFC superstars Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall call out Herb Dean for officiating mistakes after UFC Baku controversy.

Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall Join Fans to Call Out Herb Dean Again for Controversial Officiating at UFC Baku

Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall call out Herb Dean (via MMA Fighting)

Alex Pereira‘s knockout loss to Ciryl Gane has remained a controversial topic since UFC Freedom 250 concluded. ‘Poatan’ has continued to criticize Herb Dean for failing to recognize illegal back-of-the-head strikes during the finish. Pereira has now renewed those attacks after the veteran official’s controversial officiating in the Shara ‘Bullet Magomedov versus Michel Pereira fight at UFC Baku.

The controversy erupted during Magomedov’s unanimous decision win over Pereira at UFC Baku. Dean repeatedly warned Magomedov for pulling his opponent’s hair and even spoke to him in his corner between rounds, making it clear another foul would lead to a point deduction. However, Dean only issued another warning after a later eye poke, allowing the fight to continue without any points deducted.

Pereira has criticized Dean for weeks following his knockout loss to Gane, arguing the stoppage came after multiple illegal back-of-the-head strikes. ‘Poatan’ and his team explored every possible avenue for an appeal but ultimately did not pursue one. After the controversy at UFC Baku, the former champion again targeted Dean by reposting highlights from the Magomedov-Pereira fight on social media.

Herb Dean coward.

Alex Pereira via his Instagram story

Another name to reflect on the controversy was UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The British star endured his own officiating controversy against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 after an accidental eye poke forced their title fight to end in a no-contest. The incident sparked widespread debate over referee decisions

The fallout has kept Aspinall sidelined ever since, with the champion still recovering from significant damage to his eye. As the UFC Baku controversy unfolded, Aspinall also reposted the same fight highlights Alex Pereira had shared, echoing the ongoing criticism of Dean.

MMA doesn’t have “rules” anymore. It’s just “suggestions”.

Tom Aspinall via his Instagram Story

This is not the first time Dean has come under scrutiny for his officiating. At UFC 306, Dean faced criticism after repeatedly urging Merab Dvalishvili to increase his offense while controlling Sean O’Malley during their title fight. The incident reignited debate over the veteran referee’s decision-making.

Dvalishvili later addressed the incident, saying Dean’s repeated warnings disrupted his rhythm during the fifth round. The former bantamweight champion argued he was maintaining dominant control and believed the referee’s intervention affected how he approached the closing minutes.

Herb Dean’s officiating is facing some of the biggest scrutiny of his UFC career as controversies continue to mount. Alex Pereira also appears determined to keep the spotlight on the veteran referee. These mounting accusations are undoubtedly making it unlikely that his criticism will end anytime soon.

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Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall’s criticism adds mounting fan pressure on Herb Dean

Ciryl Gane has previously come under scrutiny for eye pokes, low blows, and alleged back-of-the-head strikes. Despite his over two-decade-long experience, Herb Dean did not intervene during the controversial finish of Gane’s UFC Freedom 250 victory over Alex Pereira.

Rather than addressing Pereira’s complaints through an appeal, Dean later released a video explaining the legal and illegal target areas on the back of the head. The veteran referee used diagrams to clarify the Unified Rules and defended why the finishing sequence did not warrant intervention.

Herb Dean and Shara Magamedov
Herb Dean and Shara Magomedov (via Yahoo Sports)

Many fans criticized Herb Dean’s handling of the UFC Baku co-main event, arguing that repeated hair pulls should have resulted in an immediate point deduction. They believed multiple warnings without any real punishment allowed the fouls to continue and influenced the outcome of the contest.

Others also questioned Dean’s decision not to deduct a point after Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov’s later eye poke despite earlier warnings. Many felt the sequence highlighted inconsistent officiating and reignited concerns over the veteran referee’s enforcement of UFC rules.

The UFC Baku controversy has once again intensified scrutiny surrounding Herb Dean’s officiating. Alex Pereira has also stated he will not fight if Dean is assigned to referee his future bouts, ensuring the veteran official remains firmly under the spotlight.

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