Dana White Addresses Herb Dean's Recent Officiating After UFC 332 Stoppage

During the UFC 332 event in Salt Lake City on October 3, referee Herb Dean stopped a lightweight bout between Esteban Ribovics and King Green at the 4:08 mark of the first round. The intervention occurred after Green was knocked down three times in the opening frame. While Green immediately protested the stoppage, arguing he remained capable of continuing, White noted that the sequence provided a defensible basis for the referee to step in.

White remarked that Dean is currently having a "rough" year, though he stopped short of labeling the UFC 332 call a blunder. The veteran referee has faced scrutiny throughout 2026, including criticism regarding an illegal knee at a Dana White’s Contender Series event and a disputed result involving Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.