Off the heels of UFC Calgary, Herb Dean breaks down the protocol for illegal 12-6 elbow strikes.
In the main event of UFC Calgary, former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez did battle with Dustin Poirier. This was a crucial fight for both men as many viewed the bout as a potential title eliminator. Poirier ended up winning the bout via second-round TKO and will go on to meet Nate Diaz at UFC 230.
There was some confusion in the second stanza. Alvarez landed an illegal 12-6 elbow on the shoulder blade of Poirier while in top control. Referee Marc Goddard warned Alvarez and the position was lost. Goddard later revealed that numerous fouls led to Alvarez losing his position.
Herb Dean Breaks It Down
During a recent appearance on MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour,” Dean revealed the protocol for referees when it comes to 12-6 elbows:
“So as a referee, we have some choices. We can give warnings. We can stop the action, give a firm warning. We can stop the action and take away an advantageous position. Or we can also take away points. … Of course, if someone gained an advantage or harmed a person during an illegal technique, what we’re supposed to do is try to balance that out, we can take a point or take a position. We try to balance that out by those things.”
This explains why Goddard was right in the way he handled the situation. Other referees might have just given Alvarez a warning, which also would’ve followed protocol as long as Alvarez wasn’t repeatedly landing the strikes. Goddard is even more justified when you consider the other fouls Alvarez committed such as grabbing onto the fence. In a statement, Alvarez recently admitted he can’t judge Goddard harshly.
Do you agree with how Marc Goddard handled Eddie Alvarez’s fouls?
