The California State Athletic Commission today released its list of assignments for the Jan. 10 WEC show in Sacramento, and there’s a surprising name on the list: popular long-time referee “Big” John McCarthy has been assigned to the show. Even more surprising is the news that McCarthy has not been assigned as a referee for the show, but as a judge.
McCarthy has not participated in a Zuffa show since leaving to take a job at The Fight Network. He no longer works for the network and has returned to regular refereeing gigs, most notably for UFC competitor Strikeforce. McCarthy is licensed in California, but his attempts to renew his license in Nevada have thus far been rebuffed by the Nevada commission. He’s essentially on a waiting list with all other referee applicants, which is curious given McCarthy’s history in the sport and his general standing as the best ref in the game.
UFC president Dana White has been critical of McCarthy in the past, saying that he’s more focused on being a star than being an official. McCarthy has been assigned to referee the Josh Thomson/Gilbert Melendez lightweight title bout for Strikeforce on Saturday night.