Herb Dean Defends His UFC 306 Officiating
Herb Dean’s officiating drew attention during Merab Dvalishvili’s unanimous-decision win over Sean O’Malley in the UFC 306 bantamweight title fight on September 14, 2024. Dean later explained his warning to O’Malley’s corner and his calls for more action during grappling exchanges. The judges scored the fight 49–46, 48–47 and 48–47 for Dvalishvili. Official UFC scorecards
The coaching warning
Within seconds of the opening bell, Dvalishvili turned toward O’Malley’s corner after hearing coach Tim Welch shout. Dean briefly halted the bout and warned Welch. Dean later said seconds cannot interfere in the fight, influence the referee or distract the opponent. The exchange drew criticism, but no point was deducted. MMA Fighting’s account of Dean’s explanation
Why Dean said “let’s work”
Dean also repeatedly prompted the fighters to work during grappling exchanges, including when Dvalishvili had top position. He said “let’s work” is a warning before intervention: he expects a fighter to advance position or create an opening for effective offense, not simply make busy work. Critics questioned the timing because Dvalishvili was maintaining control. Dean’s explanation, reported by MMA Fighting
A joking aside became another clip
Late in the second round, Dvalishvili kissed O’Malley on the back, then disengaged with time still on the clock. O’Malley stood and landed a punch before the bell. Dean later described the kiss as unsportsmanlike conduct and joked that it was “a little bit romantic”; he did not deduct a point. TalkSPORT’s report on Dean’s comments
The result and the referee debate
Dvalishvili won the championship by unanimous decision, ending O’Malley’s title reign. The result was clear; debate centered on Dean’s handling of the corner exchange and his prompts during grappling. UFC 306 main-card results
