John McCarthy Criticizes Dan Miragliotta Stand-Up at UFC Vegas 123
Veteran official John McCarthy criticized referee Dan Miragliotta for ordering a stand-up while Renato Moicano held back control over Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123.
· VILLAND PICK editorial
Veteran mixed martial arts official "Big" John McCarthy believes referee Dan Miragliotta made a costly mistake during the bout between Renato "Money" Moicano and Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123. Speaking on the "Weighing In" podcast alongside Josh Thomson on Monday, McCarthy criticized Miragliotta for ordering the fighters to their feet during the second round while Moicano held a dominant position.
According to McCarthy, Moicano had secured Nolan’s back with a body triangle locked in, landed strikes, and was actively hunting for a rear-naked choke before the referee intervened. McCarthy argued that Moicano had remained active enough to retain the control he had worked hard to secure, making the intervention an unwarranted disruption of the fight's natural flow.
McCarthy acknowledged that Miragliotta was likely attempting to make the right call and generate action, but emphasized that doing so is not an official's responsibility. He stressed that referees must not tip the competitive balance, stating that Miragliotta gave Nolan a great advantage while taking away a hard-earned position from Moicano.
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