The UFC’s 2024 schedule is within the books.
This previous yr was busy and booming not just for fighters, promoters, and coaches, however referees, as properly. The UFC held occasions in 9 U.S. jurisdictions (California, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Texas and Utah) and 9 worldwide nations ( Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Macau, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the UK).
Over the span of 12 months, the UFC promoted 42 occasions. Throughout these reveals, 50 referees have been used – an 8.7 % improve within the variety of referees (46) used throughout 43 occasions in 2023.
With the elevated diversification of officers and places, the variety of fights refereed by final yr’s leaders bumped down on a person foundation, aside from the chief, who hit the very same variety of fights yr over yr.
Under is a full listing of each referee that officiated no less than one UFC struggle in 2024 (in alphabetical order by final title). The listing doesn’t embrace Dana White’s Contender Collection, “Highway to UFC,” or “The Final Fighter” fights. The info was calculated utilizing complete MMA database Tapology:
Todd Anderson, Brian Beauchamp, Mike Beltran, Nick Berens, Lukasz Bosacki, Luke Boutin, Christophe Chapuis, Joe Coca, George Conley, Gary Copeland, Mark Craig, Herb Dean, Thomas Fan, Andrew Glenn, Marc Goddard, Blake Grice, Kerry Hatley, Jason Herzog, Greg Kleynjans, Kevin MacDonald, Osiris Maia, Eric McMahon, Dan Miragliotta, Wealthy Mitchell, Rob Mooney, Jacob Montalvo, Daniel Movahedi, Joel Ojeda, Gasper Oliver, Keith Peterson, Steve Perceval, Jim Perdios, Loic Pora, Fernando Portella, Bladmir Puga, Vitor Ribeiro, Matthew Rocham, Jonathan Romero, Fernando Salas, Kevin Sataki, Dave Seljestad, Joao Claudio Soares, Andy Social, Mark Smith, Josh Stewart, Chris Tognoni, Tyler Tomlinson, Frank Trigg, Jerin Valel, and Matt Wynne.
9 officers listed above refereed a double-digit variety of fights for the promotion. Which of these referees did the UFC use essentially the most in 2024? Scroll via the listing under to seek out out.
9: Kerry Hatley (14)
Dec 2, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Jalin Turner (crimson gloves) fights Bobby Inexperienced (blue gloves) throughout UFC Struggle Night time at Moody Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports activities
Texas-based referee Kerry Hatley simply cracked the double-digit threshold with a little bit over a dozen UFC fights officiated in 2024. Hatley has additionally been one of many promotion’s most important officers for Energy Slap since its emergence.
8: Dan Miragliotta (23)
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; UFC referee Dan Miragliotta pauses the struggle between Abdul Razak Alhassan (crimson gloves) and Cody Brundage (blue gloves) throughout UFC Struggle Night time at Ball Enviornment. Obligatory Credit score: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports activities
One of many longest-tenured referees in MMA, Dan Miragliotta is available in at No. 8. In 2025, Miragliotta will attain his 18th anniversary of his UFC officiating debut, which came about at UFC 78 in November 2007.
7: Keith Peterson (34)
Might 11, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Referee Keith Peterson reacts to Joaquin Buckley (crimson gloves) in his struggle with Nursulton Ruziboev (blue gloves) throughout UFC Struggle Night time at Enterprise Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Jeff Le-USA TODAY Sports activities
Keith Peterson noticed a downtick in UFC fights officiated in 2024. Nevertheless, Tapology information reveals he might have been essentially the most lively referee of any on this listing when it got here to total fights officiated, not simply UFC.
6: Mike Beltran (38)
Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Referee Mike Beltran stops the struggle between Zhang Mingyang and Brendson Ribeiro throughout UFC 298 at Honda Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities
Mike Beltran made a return to officiating in 2024 after a well being scare knocked him out of motion for a lot of 2023. It was a welcomed sight seeing the person with essentially the most infamous mustache in MMA again in motion, as he slotted in at No. 6 total.
4 (tie): Jason Herzog, Chris Tognoni (52)
Fourth place was a tie between veteran officers Jason Herzog and Chris Tognoni. Each males have solidified themselves as most-used officers, year-in and year-out.
3: Herb Dean (53)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 01: Offical Herb Dean seems to be on after the middleweight bout between Michal Oleksiejczuk of Poland and Kevin Holland UFC 302 at Prudential Heart on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photograph by Luke Hales/Getty Pictures)
Probably the most recognizable face maybe ever within the MMA officiating world, Herb Dean slots in at No. 3, the bottom he’s been since MMA Junkie started monitoring in 2020. Nevertheless, Dean was nonetheless extremely busy in 2024, as he’s continuously utilized in promotions internationally – not simply UFC.
2: Marc Goddard (55)
Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, USA; Alex Pereira (crimson gloves) fights Khalil Rountree Jr. (blue gloves) in a lightweight heavyweight title bout throughout UFC 307 at Delta Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Pictures
Though Marc Goddard officiated one much less struggle than he did in 2023, he strikes up within the energy rankings, coming in at No. 2 for the primary time since MMA Junkie began monitoring in 2020. Goddard is without doubt one of the most universally-used officers.
1: Mark Smith (65)
Dec 7, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Themba Gorimbo (blue gloves) fights Vicente Luque (crimson gloves) at T-Cellular Enviornment. Obligatory Credit score: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Pictures
Mark Smith maintains his spot because the No. 1 most-used official by the UFC, a title that he first earned in 2023 when he additionally refereed 65 fights. Smith is a mainstay of the Nevada Athletic Fee (NAC), beneath which he’s continuously used for occasions in Las Vegas.
Try the rankings from yr’s previous:
