UFC veteran Matt Brown didn’t hold back after referee Dan Miragliotta made a major blunder during UFC Vancouver, sparking widespread criticism across the MMA community.
During the featherweight bout between Kyle Nelson and Matt Frevola, Miragliotta stepped in to stop the action just three seconds before the end of the round — appearing to call off the fight as Nelson celebrated what looked like a TKO victory.
Moments later, Miragliotta reversed himself, claiming he had only intended to separate the fighters at the end of the round, not stop the bout. Replays, however, clearly showed there was still time on the clock.
Despite the mistake, Miragliotta continued to officiate the rest of the card — a decision that has Matt Brown fuming.
🔥 Matt Brown: “What Are the Commissions Even Doing?”
Speaking on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, Brown ripped into the athletic commissions that oversee referees, accusing them of ignoring repeated errors.
“These commissions, what are they doing?” Brown said. “Really, what are the commissions doing? They should be making sure referees and judges are legitimate, but I don’t think they’re actually doing anything. I think they’re just doing what they’re told by the UFC or TKO. They’re all bought and paid for.”
Brown acknowledged that refereeing is a difficult and often thankless job — but argued that the lack of accountability is unacceptable when officials make mistakes that can alter a fighter’s career.
“You’re affecting people’s lives,” Brown said. “There’s got to be repercussions. It doesn’t have to be severe the first time, but something has to happen. When referees mess up, fighters lose pay, momentum, and opportunities — but refs just keep going like nothing happened.”
⚔️ Brown Recalls His Own Controversial Moment
Brown brought up his infamous fight with Pete Sell, calling it one of the worst officiating moments in UFC history. In that bout, referee Yves Lavigne failed to stop the fight at the right time, forcing Brown to continue attacking an already-downed opponent.
“It’s one of the top five most egregious reffing moments ever,” Brown said. “If Pete had thrown a Hail Mary and knocked me out, my career could’ve gone in a totally different direction.”
He contrasted that with referee Steve Mazzagatti, who was unofficially pushed out of major UFC events after repeated mistakes — not by commissions, but seemingly because Dana White publicly criticized him.
“Was that the commission stepping up? Or Dana saying, ‘We don’t want him anymore’? Feels like the commissions didn’t do a damn thing,” Brown said.
⚖️ “There’s Got to Be Consequences”
Brown emphasized that the stakes for fighters are too high for mistakes to go unpunished.
“You can’t say you heard a horn that didn’t happen,” Brown said, laughing. “If a fighter loses, it’s half their paycheck, a loss on their record, and less money next time. But a ref? Nothing happens. There’s got to be a balance.”
He ended with a harsh truth about regulation in the sport:
“They’re supposed to work for the people — they’re public servants. But once you cross into that public space, it’s like you become useless. No accountability, no consequences.”
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