Herb Dean will be the referee for UFC 197’s main event last month, but current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier attempted to get someone else assigned during Wednesday’s Nevada Athletic Commission meeting, leading to a shot from opponent Jon Jones on Twitter.
Cormier argued that Dean allowed Jones to stall during the later rounds of their fight at UFC 182 last January, and felt that Dean would be a hindrance to him in the rematch. The commission had already booked Dean for the fight, however, and simply noted Cormier’s complaint.
Word of the complaint hit social media, and Jones reacted to Cormier’s issues with Dean in response.
Excuse of the weak: it’s not that I wasn’t man enough to get my back off the cage, Herb Dean allowed him to do it
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) March 24, 2016
Penick’s Analysis: It’s not a strong complaint from Cormier, and the commission obviously wasn’t swayed by it. There’s certainly a case for stand ups and separations when inactivity occurs, but there’s also a responsibility on the fighter being held up to get themselves free. Cormier’s continued trying to change the narrative on what happened in that first fight, but the only way he can actually prove he’s the better man is to beat Jones, then probably do it again in a rubber match. That’s what he has to focus on into their fight next month.
[Photo (c) Jayne Kamin-Oncea via USA Today Sports]
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