Tom Aspinall has publicly sided with Alex Pereira in his criticism of referee Herb Dean, resharing the same video Pereira posted highlighting Dean's officiating. Aspinall added his own commentary suggesting that rules in MMA have become mere suggestions.
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has thrown his public support behind light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in an ongoing dispute over referee Herb Dean's officiating, resharing a video Pereira posted and adding pointed commentary of his own.
Aspinall, the 33-year-old Englishman out of Team Kaobon, amplified Pereira's criticism on social media and suggested that the rules governing MMA have effectively become suggestions rather than enforced standards. The heavyweight king carries a 15-3-0 record and is ranked sixth pound-for-pound in the sport. Standing six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach, Aspinall is one of the most technically refined heavyweights in UFC history, landing an eye-catching 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent striking accuracy rate.
Pereira, the 38-year-old Brazilian known as Poatan, currently holds the light heavyweight title with a 13-4-0 record. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, the Teixeira MMA and Fitness product originally posted the video in question, taking direct aim at Dean's work inside the cage. Pereira lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy, making his understanding of combat exchanges and when action should or should not be stopped particularly relevant to the conversation.
Why it matters
- Two reigning UFC champions publicly criticizing the same referee carries significant institutional weight and is unlikely to go unaddressed by the organization.
- Both Aspinall and Pereira are Orthodox strikers who rely on high-volume, accurate output, giving them a shared perspective on how scrambles and exchanges are managed by officials.
- The unified stance from champions in two separate divisions adds broader credibility to the officiating concerns and could increase pressure on athletic commissions to review Dean's recent assignments.
