How does one become an MMA judge/ref?

Andrew Peterson · 03-15-2007, 04:50 PM

I was thinking about this the other day. I haven't referred any fighting sports before, but I was wondering what the process is, and if anyone on here does any officiating for these type of events.

Jake A Shannon · 03-15-2007, 04:52 PM

Talk to your state's athletic commission.

Becca Borawski · 03-15-2007, 08:07 PM

It's different from state to state - if your state has a commission, talk to them first. If your state doesn't have a commission, then try contacting promoters and talking to them, or finding out names of existing refs and judges and talking to them.

Aidan O Brien · 03-16-2007, 03:41 AM

I may be completely wrong here, but doesn't John McCarthy have a "school" either set up or on the way to train MMA ref's?

Becca Borawski · 03-16-2007, 05:17 AM

Big John has his own MMA school that he opened last year in Valencia, CA. I actually wrote an article about it in the CF Journal a few months back.

Doc Hamilton is the one that has set up a seminar and program for training refs -- it's called, appropriately enough, R.E.F.S.

http://www.mmarefs.com/

(work/family safe, link to Doc's site)

Aidan O Brien · 03-16-2007, 10:50 AM

Cheers Becca.

I enjoyed the article actually. I found your last one to be very useful as sadly my left hook is brutal.

Rights okay though!!!

Becca Borawski · 03-16-2007, 11:22 AM

Awesome, Aidan, glad you're liking the articles! Just finished writing the third installment of the four part series on striking - so you'll see another one coming up in a couple weeks! :-)

Bill Russell · 03-16-2007, 12:56 PM

I also enjoyed the article Becca.

I was out of the country when I received the email notification for CFJ issue 55. My Internet connection was too slow to download the pdf and I had totally forgotten about it until I read your last post, thanks!

Andrew Peterson · 03-18-2007, 08:50 PM

Jake, Aidan, and Becca,

Thank you all for the tips. I'm going to try and get ahold of the "Big" John and the R.E.F.S school.

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03-15-2007, 04:50 PM	#1
Andrew Peterson Member Profile: Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Irvine California Posts: 45	I was thinking about this the other day. I haven't referred any fighting sports before, but I was wondering what the process is, and if anyone on here does any officiating for these type of events.

03-15-2007, 04:52 PM	#2
Jake A Shannon Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dana Point CA Posts: 126	Talk to your state's athletic commission.

03-15-2007, 08:07 PM	#3
Becca Borawski Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Portland OR Posts: 1,231	It's different from state to state - if your state has a commission, talk to them first. If your state doesn't have a commission, then try contacting promoters and talking to them, or finding out names of existing refs and judges and talking to them.

03-16-2007, 03:41 AM	#4
Aidan O Brien Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dublin Dublin Posts: 87	I may be completely wrong here, but doesn't John McCarthy have a "school" either set up or on the way to train MMA ref's?

03-16-2007, 05:17 AM	#5
Becca Borawski Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Portland OR Posts: 1,231	Big John has his own MMA school that he opened last year in Valencia, CA. I actually wrote an article about it in the CF Journal a few months back. Doc Hamilton is the one that has set up a seminar and program for training refs -- it's called, appropriately enough, R.E.F.S. http://www.mmarefs.com/ (work/family safe, link to Doc's site)

03-16-2007, 10:50 AM	#6
Aidan O Brien Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dublin Dublin Posts: 87	Cheers Becca. I enjoyed the article actually. I found your last one to be very useful as sadly my left hook is brutal. Rights okay though!!!

03-16-2007, 11:22 AM	#7
Becca Borawski Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Portland OR Posts: 1,231	Awesome, Aidan, glad you're liking the articles! Just finished writing the third installment of the four part series on striking - so you'll see another one coming up in a couple weeks! :-)

03-16-2007, 12:56 PM	#8
Bill Russell Affiliate Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cleveland OH Posts: 503	I also enjoyed the article Becca. I was out of the country when I received the email notification for CFJ issue 55. My Internet connection was too slow to download the pdf and I had totally forgotten about it until I read your last post, thanks!

03-18-2007, 08:50 PM	#9
Andrew Peterson Member Profile: Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Irvine California Posts: 45	Jake, Aidan, and Becca, Thank you all for the tips. I'm going to try and get ahold of the "Big" John and the R.E.F.S school.