Referee Marc Goddard believes more education and time are needed to get officials and coaches on the same page when it comes to knowing that a fight should be stopped.
Although fights in boxing are a little more frequent, the sweet science of MMA has existed for hundreds of thousands of years. MMA, especially when compared with boxing, is still in its early stages. Goddard believes that the MMA mentality has not had sufficient time to develop.
“It is definitely the MMA Culture,” Goddard stated recently on The MMA Hour . It’s still being worked out and things are being learned. You will definitely see this in boxing. I’m not saying MMA coaches are any less persuasive or demand any less from their fighters. Of course they love and care for them just the same. It’s an enduring culture .”
Goddard has started his own officials training course for would-be officials, fighters, coaches, media members, commentators, and others who want to learn the unified rules of MMA. You can use the courses from either the judge or referee perspective.
Being the third man at many of the marquee matches, such as countless UFC world titles fights, and having a passion for the job have made Goddard an expert in understanding what to expect from a mixed-martial arts bout.
“There’s a certain visual aesthetic when it comes to MMA, because, by in-large, the cast majority, 99. Goddard stated that 9% of MMA fights are completed on the ground. “People just aren’t used to seeing fighters being stopped on their feet.
“For myself, I don’t care what’s at stake. I stopped a UFC world championship fight from a standing fighter. Because as a referee, there’s a marker in a fight: Two fighters come out and the fight begins competitive. As the tide turns, one fighter may start to edge ahead, getting the upper hand. One fighter must defend. The onslaught continues and the momentum builds, that defensive position turns into survival. This is the moment to flip. That’s the aesthetic switch that a referee should be looking for to step in and call a halt to the fight.”
Coaches of fighters such as Calvin Kattar, Brian Ortega, Anthony Smith and others have received scrutiny from fans and media over the last couple of years for not throwing in the towel when things were getting dicey.
It doesn’t matter what coaches did when times were tough, but it does not affect how they care about their athletes. In the end, their hearts are in the right place.
” You can say exactly the same thing for MMA coaches and MMA corners,” Goddard said. “I’ve met some amazing people and I know they love and care for their fighters very deeply. It’s a surfing event, an education thing. The culture of MMA competitions being stopped if the fighter is unconscious or on their stomach eating shots, for example, will not be repeated. I believe time will resolve that.
“And, of course, greater awareness and education — not just for officials, but for coaches, too. It’s a collective responsibility.”
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