Following our lead writer’s two-day journey to become an MMA judge
Everybody who watches fights fills out an at-home scorecard as they go.
We all keep a running tab of who won the opening round, which fighter got the better of each exchange, and earned themselves a 10-9 in the second. As a result, there are times when we get up in arms over the announced scores, sometimes with good reason, others times for no reason at all.
More often than naught, the judges come under fire. Questions about their vision and math skills making a regular appearance alongside words you shouldn’t say around little kids and the belief that a trained monkey could do a better job.
We’ve all been there – annoyed with a certain result – but very few of us have actually been there, sitting next to the cage as a judge. Since my job requires me to be critical of officials, I thought it was only fair that I find out what it takes to earn one of the best seats in the house. When the opportunity to take “Big” John McCarthy’s COMMAND Course for Judges came up, I jumped at the chance.
This is my journey, my education and my experience; I hope you enjoy.
The Warm-Up
Like so many MMA fans, I was pretty certain that I had a sound knowledge of what it takes to judge a fight. After all, I’d watched countless events, thousands of fights ranging from one-sided blowouts and razor-thin decisions to absolute gong shows that the judges got 100% wrong. Still, I turned down an offer to judge a local event here in Victoria earlier in the winter. I’d like to say it was completely out of respect for the position, but part of it was because I didn’t want to screw up, submit the wrong score and scar a young fighter for life.
It happens, trust me.
Call me a purist or call me naive, it doesn’t really matter; I think the people sitting next to the cage handing out decisions that affect a fighter’s livelihood should have actual qualifications, and not just be local MMA writers or guys who train. I’m not saying those people couldn’t do a better job than some of the current crop of well known officials, or get it right every time, but personally, I wasn’t interested in turning in a scorecard until I knew for sure that I knew what I was doing.
Back in January, that opportunity presented itself.
Recently retired fighter Bill Mahood sent me an invitation on Facebook. Even before he hung up his four-ounce gloves, “The Butcher” was an integral part of the British Columbia Mixed Martial Arts Association (BCMMAA), an organization dedicated to helping expand the sport within Canada’s western-most province. He was bringing “Big” John to Vancouver to deliver his judges course, and wondered if I would be interested in signing up.
The price didn’t matter. While I wasn’t keen on a weekend away from my wife and dog – and staying with my mother-in-law to boot – we both knew I was paying the $400 and spending two days at the River Rock Casino Resort in hopes of becoming a COMMAND Certified Mixed Martial Arts Judge.
On the Monday before the course, an email arrived from Mahood. The subject line said something like COMMAND Itinerary. Opening the attached files gave me that empty stomach feeling you get when you take the first big drop on a roller coaster.
In addition to the weekend’s schedule, the email contained a course overview, detailing the requirements for passing the course: a mark of 90% or greater on each of three separate exams.
It also detailed the myriad takedowns, positions, submissions and strikes you were expected to be able to identify. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to this sport, but even I was stumped on some of these things. Having never been on a mat a day in my life didn’t help, though I don’t think I would have known what the 100% Sweep looked like either way.
Sei-onagi, isn’t that a sushi roll with barbecued eel?
All I wanted to do was become a judge, now I was stuck studying definitions and watching demonstration videos on the Internet for a week. Passing was far from guaranteed.
Spencer Kyte spent two days stuffed into a boardroom with "Big" John McCarthy and a number of other hopefuls looking to become certified judges. Here's the first part of his story.
