Daniel Cormier objects but Herb Dean will referee UFC 197 main event
Referee Herb Dean will be the third man in the Octagon when Daniel Cormier meets Jon Jones for the second time in the main event at UFC 197 on April 23 in Las Vegas.
Dean received the appointment on Wednesday from the Nevada State Athletic Commission despite concerns raised by Cormier during the meeting.
Dean was the referee in the first fight between Jones and Cormier at UFC 182 and the current light heavyweight champion said he had issues with some of the decisions made inside the cage that night.
Most notably, Cormier complained that Dean allowed the fighters to stay stalled in the clinch against the cage several times during the final rounds of the 25-minute matchup.
"We should have been broken up a couple of times," Cormier stated.
Cormier was on the line to finish his licensing in the state because he's over 35-years of age, but he raised his concerns after Dean had already received his duties for the card.
Nevada commissioners listened to his complaint, but ultimately stuck with Dean as the choice for the main event bout at UFC 197.
Judges Sal D'Amato, Chris Lee and Junichiro Kamijo will serve as judges for the main event.
The co-main event between Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo will have veteran referee "Big" John McCarthy as the third man in the Octagon with Derek Cleary, Jeff Mullen and Glenn Trowbridge as the judges for the flyweight title fight.
