It appears Mario Yamasaki’s days working as a referee in the UFC may be finished.
Last Saturday night, Yamasaki served as the third man in the Octagon for a flyweight fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Priscila Cachoeira that ended up as one of the most lopsided bouts in recent UFC history.
Shevchenko battered Cachoeira, out landing the UFC newcomer by 230-3 in total strikes before mercifully finishing the fight by rear naked choke in the second round.
Following the event, White was highly critical of Yamasaki’s decision to not stop the fight earlier and he continued his tirade on Wednesday while adding that he doesn’t expect to see him work another fight in the UFC.
Appearing on “UFC Tonight”, White blasted the veteran referee for not saving Cachoeira from eating an unnecessary amount of punishment during the fight with Shevchenko while also admonishing him for saying afterwards that he was giving her every chance ‘to be a warrior and keep fighting’.
“[Priscila Cachoeira] didn’t tap and that’s the thing — the reality is when you’re a fighter and it’s one of the reasons why this sport is as big as it is, because most of you guys don’t tap. Most of you guys stay in there and she did fight like a warrior,” White said.
“For that idiot to say the he gave her the opportunity to be a warrior? No you moron, you’re in there to protect her from herself. [Mario Yamasaki] makes me sick. That guy has no business reffing fights and I promise you, you’re not going to see him again.”
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“That guy has no business reffing fights and I promise you, you’re not going to see him again.”
Of course, Yamasaki has come under fire previously for questionable decisions made during the course of his career as a referee.
Last June, lightweight fighter Michael Chiesa took Yamasaki to task for stopping his fight with Kevin Lee after he was caught in a rear naked choke in the opening round but never tapped out nor passed out as a result of the submission.
Now individual athletic commissions actually assign referees to work any particular show promoting an event in that state or country, but an organization like the UFC can make a request that certain officials are not used.
White had a similar complaint about referee Steve Mazzagatti after he made several bad calls in fights and he hasn’t served as an official in the UFC in several years.
It’s clear White isn’t letting go of his grudge against Mario Yamasaki for not stopping the Shevchenko vs. Cachoeira fight and he hopes that’s the last time he’ll ever have to deal with him again.
“I think it’s disgusting,” White said. “I think he’s disgusting and I never want to see him reffing ever again.”
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