MMA is a sport of passion and intensity, where small errors can sometimes occur among fighters. However, when a referee makes a mistake, it’s far from minor. It not only affects the fighter personally but also impacts their training camp, coaches, and even their family. One name that immediately comes to mind when thinking about referee mistakes is UFC referee Keith Peterson, who made a significant blunder at UFC Vegas 75 last June. Surprisingly, he’s now officiating fights at UFC Abu Dhabi.

Now, the news is breaking that Keith Peterson has repeated his refereeing error at UFC Abu Dhabi. In a preliminary lightweight bout between Guram Kutateladze and Jordan Vucenic, Peterson did not deduct a point from Kutateladze for a shorts grab foul. This decision has sparked outrage, with many criticizing Peterson’s officiating. In response, renowned UFC commentator Daniel Cormier took a subtle dig at Peterson.

As reported by MMA fighting’s Damon Martin, Cormier jokingly suggested, “I’d love to commit a crime and Keith to be the judge,” highlighting the fact that Peterson, if he were a judge, wouldn’t have punished him as severely as he did in the lightweight preliminary fight. This comment underscores the growing frustration with Peterson’s repeated refereeing errors.

In a 2023 incident involving referee Keith Peterson, a fight between Ronnie Lawrence and Dan Argueta took a controversial turn. Argueta attempted a guillotine on Lawrence, who was simultaneously adjusting his arm. Peterson misinterpreted this as a tap, prematurely stopping the fight. Recognizing his error, Peterson declared the fight a no-contest, disappointing both fighters. Prior to this, serious allegations surfaced from UFC commentator and former champion Dominick Cruz, who claimed Peterson was unfit to officiate the fight due to suspected alcohol intoxication.

Dominick Cruz accuses ref Keith Peterson of being drunk during UFC 249

Dominick Cruz was outraged when referee Keith Peterson stopped his bantamweight title fight against

Henry Cejudo at UFC 249. While Cruz was mounting a comeback against Cejudo’s barrage of kicks and punches, Peterson ended the fight. In a post-fight interview, Cruz expressed his frustration to MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, alleging that Peterson “smelled like alcohol and cigarettes.”

Crux further told Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview,

“I mean I’m not happy with the stoppage obviously because I specifically asked the ref to let me go ‘til I was out and I was standing up.” This loss, his second consecutive bantamweight title loss, marked a setback for Dominick Cruz. However, he made a comeback by winning two subsequent fights.

Keith Peterson’s refereeing has been increasingly controversial in recent years, consistently damaging the UFC’s reputation among fans. Given the frequency of these incidents, should the UFC take decisive action to address this issue? What are your thoughts on Peterson’s continued career as a  UFC referee? Let us know in the comments.