All articles tagged with #referee
Oleksandr Usyk won by stoppage in the 11th round against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, and on the flight home Peter Fury confronted the referee Mark Lyson about the stoppage before forgiving him, saying he hadn’t heard the bell and that the call was a genuine mistake made in the heat of the moment.
Usyk dismissed criticisms that his late stoppage of Rico Verhoeven was premature, saying it’s not his job to judge referees or stoppages and his focus remains on boxing. The bout proved tougher than expected, with Verhoeven briefly ahead on some cards before Usyk secured an 11th‑round finish after a knockdown, preserving the WBC heavyweight title amid scrutiny of the referee’s stoppage.
Referee Herb Dean said on The Ariel Helwani Show that he is certain the Moraes–Nkuta finish at the MVP MMA Netflix event was correct: Nkuta went unconscious before the final bell, Moraes briefly held the choke but didn’t warrant disqualification, and the fight was stopped at 4:59 of the third round with Moraes winning by submission. Nkuta’s team has appealed the outcome; two judges had Nkuta winning rounds 1 and 2, but Dean maintained the decision stands and a scorecard reversal wasn’t pursued.
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso says the squad is in a positive mood ahead of the World Cup playoff final with Bosnia and Herzegovina but warns that Bosnia commit many fouls and urges players not to react to the referee’s decisions. He stressed the opening minutes will be crucial and that the team must stay composed. The 23-man squad was named, with Cambiaso recalled after being dropped for the semifinal and Giorgio Scalvini left out.
Maycee Barber says she will personally request that referee Mark Smith not officiate her UFC Seattle rematch with Alexa Grasso, citing a controversial 2021 stoppage; Barber is 7-0 in the UFC since that loss, while Grasso enters the bout trying to rebound from two straight decisions, and the rematch serves as the co-main event.
The NBA fined Luka Doncic $50,000 for a gesture directed at an official during the March 8, 2026 game against the New York Knicks; the sanction was announced on March 10, 2026.
During a Sun Belt Conference women’s tournament game between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina, a physical altercation broke out, a referee was knocked to the floor, and eight players were ejected; the injured official’s status was not immediately clear.
Senegal walked off the pitch after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to hosts Morocco for a foul on Brahim Diaz in the Afcon final; goalkeeper Edouard Mendy briefly left the field before captain Sadio Mane urged his teammates to finish, while pundits including Efan Ekoku criticized the reaction as a poor look.
NFL suspended Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw for one game without pay due to unsportsmanlike conduct after the game, where he verbally threatened referee Brad Allen, violating league rules against abusive language and gestures.
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell disputed the referee's account of a controversial illegal motion call during a trick play against the Kansas City Chiefs, raising questions about whether league officials consulted New York officials for a play that was not reviewable under NFL rules.
Rookie referee Alex Moore, known for being the strictest in the NFL this season, will officiate the Packers vs. Cardinals game, with his crew leading in penalties called, which could impact the game, especially with key players like Micah Parsons potentially affected.
Veteran ACC football official Gary Patterson resigned after disputes over the league's handling of a replay review during the Syracuse-UConn game, which he believed was improperly influenced by the league's command center, leading to controversy and his departure.
The referee for the main event between CM Punk and GUNTHER at WWE SummerSlam 2025 has been revealed as Rod Zapata, who previously officiated Punk's WrestleMania 41 match. The event features several matches with different referees assigned, including Chad Patton for the opening match. The article provides details on the match lineup and referee assignments for the event.
Referee Jason Herzog reflected on his controversial stoppage in the UFC Nashville main event, where Derrick Lewis quickly KO'ed Tallison Teixeira. Herzog considered the stoppage a little early after discussing with veteran referee John McCarthy, who noted Herzog's concern about Teixeira's health and the possibility of a cage grab foul. The fight's ending remains debated, highlighting the challenges referees face in ensuring fighter safety while maintaining fairness.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defends NBA referee Scott Foster amid criticism, praising his performance in the playoffs despite Foster's poor reputation and recent controversial calls in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.