Referee Blake Grice found himself in the thick of one of UFC 330’s most spectacular finishes. Undefeated middleweight Donte Johnson continued his win streak on Saturday night, knocking out Eric McConico with a brutal left hand at 1:38 in the first round. However, during the wild final sequence, ‘Lockjaw’ accidentally clipped Grice with an elbow, leaving the referee visibly shaken.
MMA Junkie’s Nolan King remarked on the incident shortly after the stoppage.
“Referee Blake Grice took an elbow on that stoppage,” King wrote on X. “Appeared to be fairly shaken up and was checked out by medical staff before the decision reading.”
It was one of those sequences that was too strange to miss. The bout itself was competitive from the very first minute, with the 27-year-old switching stances and trying to find his range against McConico’s southpaw stance. Johnson eventually fired a series of wild hooks before delivering a powerful right hand that snapped his opponent’s head back. As a result, the 36-year-old immediately went crashing onto the canvas.
Johnson followed him down and delivered several more strikes until referee Blake Grice intervened to call an end to the fight. However, during the fast-paced sequence, Johnson’s back elbow accidentally struck the referee.
The referee appeared to take the shot so hard that medical staff had to check on him before the official outcome was announced. In fact, even ‘Lockjaw’ later acknowledged the accidental collision and apologised for clipping the referee.
Referee Blake Grice took an elbow on that stoppage. Appeared to be fairly shaken up and was checked out by medical staff before the decision reading #UFC330
“2-0, on a night,” he said in the post-fight media interview. “Who else wants the same? I’m just kidding. No, I’m sorry, Mr. Ref, you know what I’m saying? I’ll buy you a cheese steak or something, but, you know, I didn’t mean to do that.”
And well, it’s likely that referee Blake Grice wouldn’t be too mad about the strike; after all, it’s not the first time a referee has been on the receiving end of a strike during a UFC fight.
One such moment occurred at UFC 208, when Germaine de Randamie continued throwing combinations after the bell rang during her title battle versus Holly Holm. Referee Todd Anderson rushed between the fighters to separate them and ended up absorbing some of the momentum himself.
Another memorable moment came at UFC 182, when Daniel Cormier accidentally grazed Herb Dean with a trailing punch as the final bell sounded during his fight with Jon Jones.
Fortunately for Grice, the incident at UFC 330 did not hinder him from carrying out his job. After being inspected by medical staff, he was able to return for the official decision. For Donte Johnson, meanwhile, the accidental elbow was merely a footnote to another spectacular night.
Donte Johnson wants three UFC belts after UFC 330 knockout
‘Lockjaw’ is already thinking well beyond his current weight class. After increasing his professional record to 9-0 and progressing to 3-0 in the UFC, the 2025 Contender Series contract winner declared his desire to pursue championships in three divisions.
Donte Johnson originally earned his UFC contract at heavyweight, but the 27-year-old now wants to see how far his body can take him down the weight ladder.
“I am electrified, sanctified, purified,” Johnson told Joe Rogan after his victory, crediting his faith for helping him achieve the result. “I plan on dropping down if I can, if my body will allow me. I want three belts.”
The plan, as Johnson described it, would be to capture a title at middleweight, then moving down to welterweight before returning to 205 pounds and attempting to become a three-division UFC champion.
It is a massive aim for a guy who has only fought three times in the Octagon. But ‘Lockjaw’ doesn’t lack confidence.
Meanwhile, Eric McConico entered UFC 330 with an 11-4-1 record but suffered his third knockout defeat in five UFC fights. On the other hand, Johnson has yet to taste defeat.
It is unknown whether he will be able to successfully complete the massive weight cuts and get enough wins required to compete for three crowns. For the time being, however, the undefeated prospect has made his intentions clear. The first step is to figure out exactly where he belongs. And after another dramatic UFC victory at UFC 330, ‘Lockjaw’ appears to have no shortage of ambition.