MMA Referee Big John McCarthy

Big John McCarthy has been recognized as the most influential MMA referee since the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. He has been in charge in more than 600 bouts worldwide and was one of the original authors of the MMA rules and regulations that are used today. His knowledge of the sport and larger than life personality has made him one of the most recognized and popular figures in MMA, both as a referee, and commentator.

Big John McCarthy bio and trivia.

In 1985 McCarthy became a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), following his father, SWAT team legend Ron McCarthy. Big John worked the mean streets of Hollywood for 23 years, during which time he took on some of the department's most dangerous assignments.

In August 1993, McCarthy was awarded his Tactics & Self-Defense Instructor Certification by the LAPD, and has been teaching for the department ever since. He is also an instructor at the Fullerton College Police Academy.

McCarthy had been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Rorion at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, CA in the early 1990s. John had participated in 4-5 amateur MMA bouts but never competed professionally. In 1993 McCarthy expressed interest in fighting for the UFC but his trainer Rorion Gracie advised against it.

According to a recent UFC interview, his nickname was given to him by UFC co-founder & promoter Art Davie. McCarthy recalls that the nickname began when he forcibly lifted Davie off the ground and held him in the air.

Due to his prior experience in law enforcement, McCarthy was seen as a fitting man to referee. He debuted at UFC 2: No Way Out in 1994.

Rioters are you ready? Police are you ready? Lets get it on!

"A no-nonsense, hands-on account of the blood and sweat that lifted MMA from the sports blacklist and turned it into a billion-dollar industry. McCarthy didn't just observe history—he helped make it." —Jake Rossen, ESPN.com

Interview with Kucklepit.com

Big John recalls an incident in UFC V: Return of the Beast, in which Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock faced each other in The Superfight.

"Ken was fighting Royce and it went down to the ground, where they stayed for a long time. Ken was receiving instructions from his father Bob at the side of the Octagon, and it got to the point where Bob was so frustrated by the drawn-out battle, he says, 'God damn it, Ken, why don't you just kiss him? It's friggin' embarrassing.' Ken looks at his father as though to say, 'What the hell are you telling me?' He turns back to Royce, and Royce says, 'Please don't do that'. I'm in the middle of it and I start laughing. I think, 'Oh my God'. I'm sure you can see it on the video. Things like that happen all the time."

Read Full Interview Here

Big John McCarthy talks about how he got started refereeing, the origin of his famous catch phrase "Lets get it on!" and some of his favorite fight moments.

John mentions this match in the previous interview as being one of his favorite fights to have witnessed from inside the octagon. Scott Smith and Pete Sell have some great chemistry, high-fiving each other at times and fighting to an incredible KO finish. This fight took place during the Ultimate Fighter season 4 finale.

John talks to ProMMA.com excerpt.

PRO MMA: Were you ever on the TV show "Cops?"

BIG JOHN MCCARTHY: No, I was never on Cops, thank God.

PRO MMA: When you look back from how the sport of MMA began and when you were in there refereeing those early UFC's, did you ever have any idea that it would be where it is today?

BIG JOHN MCCARTHY: No, I didn't. At first when the whole concept came out and Rorian was putting it together, I loved the concept because I believed in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and I thought that people were going to like it, and it was unique. And really a whole lot of people didn't catch on that fast before it happened, and then when it happened everybody jumped on and thought it was cool, and then the political pressure happened and they tried to kill it. It went through a lot of hard times and you tried to work through those and do the best that you can but never thought it was going to be enormous sport or entity that it is now.

Read Full Interview Here

An interesting series of short interviews and viedo clips reflecting on the life, career and thoughts of John McCarthy. A must watch for any fan.

Big John McCarthy Retires!

After reffing over 500 bouts and rising to become most recognizable referee in all of mixed martial arts (and possibly in all of sports) John decided to retire from refereeing to pursue other ventures such as his MMA School in Valencia California, writing his autobiography, furthering his career in broadcasting and sitting on his couch playing video games.

John's last time in the octagon came on Dec. 8, 2007 when he watched over Roger Huerta submitting Clay Guida with a rear naked choke.

McCarthy returned to refereeing in Nov. 2008 working with various promoters such as Affliction yet was not given any UFC officiating duties until August 2010 at the UFC on Versus 2 event fueling previous rumors that McCarthy had had a falling out with UFC president Dana White.

Big John is a guest on this entertaining podcast.

Comedian and tv and radio personality Adam Carolla sits down with UFC referee Big John McCarthy for an action packed 45 minute podcast. They discuss the LAPD, the history of MMA, memorable UFC knock outs and much, much more.

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