Herb Dean was a step behind when it mattered the most. Gregory Rodrigues had just delivered a left hook that silenced the T-Mobile Arena for a beat—a knockout so unexpected that it stunned the audience. But before Dean could intervene to stop the brawl, a moment of hesitation allowed chaos to set in.
UFC 317 had its first viral finish of the night, and it served as a reminder of how important it is for a fight to be stopped on time. Until that point, it was a hotly heated scrap. Rodrigues and Jack Hermansson were exchanging combinations, with both men calculated and in control.
Then came the shot: an inside left hook from Gregory Rodrigues that stopped Hermansson in his tracks. It was the type of crisp, crushing connection that fighters dream of. While Rodrigues did not need another punch, instinct kicked in. And that’s when the conversation starts to split.
Hermansson fell instantly, and his head struck the canvas with force. The impact was shocking, and because Dean was sluggish to react, Rodrigues responded with another hammerfist on his downed opponent. It was not intentional, simply fighter’s reflex. But it was also needless, and fans quickly blamed the referee.
Herb Dean’s timing has been called into question before, and it may not be the last. Hermansson, motionless for a few moments, eventually regained consciousness and escaped the cage on his own power. However, the harm had already been done—both literally and in the discussion over referee timing.
Gregory Rodrigues’s effort was a flawless turnaround from his previous setback, and it will most likely be repeated on highlight reels for months. The hammerfist, however unintended, will be contested. And Herb Dean’s delay, however slight, will follow this fight just as closely as the knockout itself. In fact, it already has fans and fellow fighters calling him out.
The MMA world calls out Herb Dean for poor officiating
The moment quickly went viral on social media, not just because of Rodrigues’ highlight finish, but also because Herb Dean did not move quickly enough. Fans were not the only ones to notice. Fighters watching from home had quick comments, with the majority pointing out how that extra second of hesitation transformed a clean KO into something far more uncomfortable.
Chris Weidman appreciated Hermansson’s solid performance up to the left hook, but he couldn’t help but point out the issue. “Wish Herb got in the way of that hammer fist at the end,” he said, echoing what many others were thinking. Billy Quarantillo described the KO as “brutal” and added, “Herb was just a split second late.”
Eryk Anders was less understanding: “Herb Dean has lost a step.” And while former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling did not address the ref, he depicted the fall perfectly: “When you free fall and hit ya head on that canvas… oof!”
Meanwhile, the fans wouldn’t let it go either. “Herb Dean always sleeps in the middle of the fight!” one wrote, annoyed by the seasoned ref’s numerous delays. Some were more blunt: “Herb Dean must retire,” one person commented. “Herb should have gotten in between them faster,” said another, reducing it to what mattered: reaction time.
The criticism did not end there. Others questioned Rodrigues as well: “Was there a need for the second shot?” one asked. “After you watched your opponent fall and his head crash to the ground, what is the point of that additional hammer pound?” another user wondered. Nonetheless, one fan defended him rationally: “The second shot was unnecessary but completely legal.”
In the end, the left hook will make every highlight reel; in fact, it may even make headlines by becoming the knockout of the year. But so will what came after—and that’s the part the sport can’t afford to ignore.
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