Also, dont expect to get paid much for your first MMA venture. For more information on upcoming courses and interest in hosting an IMMAF certified Referee & Judge Certification course hosted and presented by Marc Goddard, please send your enquiry to[emailprotected]. Be warned, it's a long road and isn't easy - but if you're determined enough then read on. While judging can be subjective, instructors want to know if you are able to score a fight correctly and are "within the acceptable tolerances." I personally encourage and develop new blood in the mixed martial arts scene by holding seminars for would-be officials to attend. I dont give a fk. Cage Warriors on Twitter: "RT @MrAlexRamzan: Got to meet my favourite # experience and victories. Regardless, its fair to say that being an MMA ref is a good gig to have and if it interests you then you can make a good career out of it, so long as youre willing to put in work and above all else, fundamentally understand how MMA works from a refs perspective. So, be prepared to put in the dirty work, to begin with. Whenever I'd see a bloody fighter in the cage, I'd automatically think his opponent was in control and had the advantage. Becoming a MMA Referee is an incredibly rewarding career. He simply could not stomach being inside the Octagon as someone was getting unnecessarily beaten without the ability to step in and stop the fight. Becoming a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) referee is not a decision to be taken lightly. He's famous for being a great ref, but for being the biggest ref in all MMA, too - even bigger than Big John. Those who decide to pursue a specific certification can expect to take more specialized courses, such as rules and regulations, safety protocols, and officiating techniques. The Truth About How to Become an MMA Referee Despite the announcement, all the matches had a referee and his role proved to be essential, because he probably saved the life of American fighter Teila Tuli, who got knocked down by Dutch fighter Gerard Gordeau early in the first fight of the event. There was a time when there was no right or wrong in mixed martial arts. Motion doesn't mean contact. This is difficult, but if you can see a video of yourself, its a great approach to learning from your blunders. The second examination is a written exam that includes everything studied in class and the present Standard Guidelines. McCarthy convinced Gracie that referees could stop the fight if the fighter could not "intelligently defend himself," which was a rule added before UFC 3. There, youll slowly start to build your reputation and gain more credibility. There were no official rules, a fact some people interpreted as the referee having absolutely no influence on the fight, meaning that he could not even stop the fighters from killing each other. Even if you think you know everything about the rules of MMA, the reality is that you probably dont. "Barreto comes in and stops it and you'll notice there's this argument between Rorion Gracie and Barreto, and basically Barreto is saying this guy can't fight and Rorion is saying you can't stop it," McCarthy said. Mach Headquarters Gym, Birmingham. On average, an MMA referee can make around $50,000 a year depending on the number of fights and the experience they have.