Yamasaki (center) with Hendricks (right) and GSP (left) at UFC 167. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Third man in the octagon during the fight between John hendricks e Georges St Pierre, Brazilian referee Mário Yamasaki echoed the controversy over the result of UFC 167. In an interview with the “MMA Fighting” website, Yamasaki said he believed Hendricks was dominant throughout the fight and said he saw the challenger's victory in the fight for the middleweight belt -midrange.
“I was in the octagon, so I can't see the fight like the judges saw it, but I thought Hendricks won. He dominated the fight, it was brutal and it was a surprise when they gave St-Pierre the victory. But I'm not a side judge and I saw the fight with different eyes. When the fight ended, I thought Hendricks had won all the rounds except the last one, but I would have to review the fight to analyze it as a judge”, analyzed Yamasaki.
The Brazilian referee, however, does not agree with Dana White's reaction after the fight. “As a manager, he can say whatever he wants. He never took a judging course, so he only analyzes it as a fan”, he pondered. At the press conference after the event, White harshly criticized the Nevada State Athletic Commission, responsible for regulating and choosing the side referees for the fight.
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