Fans were taken aback when Alex Pereira pushed away referee Herb Dean during his title defense against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300. But now, the fans are buzzing again over the pair after a video clip surfaced online. Dean was seen handing some advice to Pereira before the fight, garnering a myriad of reactions from fight enthusiasts on social media.

Alex Pereira retained his light heavyweight title at UFC 300 in impressive fashion. He knocked out Jamahal Hill in the very first round, to mark his first-ever UFC title defense. ‘Poatan’ topped his win off with a memorable celebration, but now, he’s come under fans’ attention for something else, almost a week after UFC 300. The Brazilian ace was seen having a conversation with referee Herb Dean just minutes before the fight.

‘Poatan’ had his translator when he was going through some of the suggestions that Herb Dean was making. There is nothing unusual about a referee talking to fighters before their fights since all they do is go over the rules. In the clip, we hear Dean saying, “Up against the cage, big shots or effort for the takedown.” Alex Pereira did not have anything to add. He just listened to the veteran referee.

But since a big shot with Hill against the cage was what ended the fight, some fans found Dean’s instructions intriguing. They gave their takes on what could be the reason for Herb Dean giving suggestions to the champion. Let’s see what they had to say.

Is illegal for referees to talk to fighters before a fight? Fans react

There was no doubt that the first question fans raised after watching the aforementioned video clip was if it was within the rules for referees to have a chat with fighters before they get inside the Octagon. Hence, one fan commented, “Is he allowed to do that?” Meanwhile, the more experienced fans explained that Herb Dean was just laying down the rules to Alex Pereira. They don’t think there was anything wrong with that. One Instagram user said, “He’s reminding the rule before the fight. Watch the full video,” while another stated, “Refs go over the rules thoroughly and answer any and all questions fighters have (within reason) before their fights. this is normal.”

Nevertheless, hilarious reactions were incoming. Some fight fans joked that Herb Dean may have put his money on Alex Pereira and may not have wanted to lose his investment. Another joke was that the veteran referee made more money than Max Holloway at UFC 300, who took home $600,000 in bonuses. One fan stated, “You know Herb won big that night. Bro was in serious mode coaching Pereira,” while another said, “Herb Dean made generational wealth that night. Even more than max.” 

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There have been several instances when referees get annoyed due to time-wasting tactics fighters use in the cage. As such, one fan claims that Herb Dean was talking to Alex Pereira about how he wanted to see the fight go to have a proper competitive MMA fight. “This isn’t advice this is the ref explaining what he wants to see or he will stand the fight up,” the fan said. Nonetheless, there were still hilarious comments, one even suggesting that Dean made more money at UFC 300 than Canadian rapper Drake. One fan said, “Congrats Herb.You made more than Drake that night.”

It seems like people are still hungover with UFC 300, and for good reason as well. The PPV had one of the best fight cards ever and it lived up to the hope. However, the next big event is already on the horizon, as we wait for Conor McGregor in June in what could arguably be the biggest comeback in combat sports history.