Morning Report | Henry Cejudo wants Herb Dean removed from refereeing: ‘It’s ridiculous. No accountability whatsoever’

Henry Cejudo has joined a growing chorus of critics calling for referee Herb Dean to step away from the sport, citing a cascade of controversial decisions throughout 2026 that have eroded confidence in the official's judgment.

Dean's latest controversial call came at UFC 332, where he stopped the Esteban Ribovics versus King Green bout after Green was knocked down for the third time. Though Green appeared lucid and still capable of defending himself, Dean waved off the fight. While UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged Dean is "having a rough fucking year," he suggested the stoppage wasn't egregious. Green protested but without major fanfare.

On his Pound 4 Pound podcast, however, Cejudo was far less forgiving. The former dual-division champion called on the Nevada State Athletic Commission to remove Dean entirely, criticizing the lack of accountability. "Nobody likes this dude anymore," Cejudo said. "They show him on camera, he's getting booed. It's ridiculous. No accountability whatsoever."

Once considered a gold standard in refereeing, Dean now faces routine boos when announced for fights. His controversies in 2026 extend beyond the Green stoppage. He refereed the contentious UFC White House clash between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira, where many observers believed Gane landed multiple illegal blows to the back of the head. Most recently, Dean drew criticism for failing to stop a fight immediately after Ian Escuza landed a blatant illegal knee to the head of grounded opponent Luca Borando at the Contender Series. After replay review, Dean and other officials let Escuza's win stand, ruling the illegal strike didn't affect the outcome.

Cejudo specifically highlighted that incident as symptomatic of Dean's broader problems. He suggested Dean should take time away from refereeing to reset, allowing the sport to move forward with officials whose judgment commands broader respect.