The UFC Rio event kicked off in full swing, with several early scraps already grabbing fans’ attention. However, the promotion’s 13th visit to Rio de Janeiro didn’t reserve the spotlight just for the fighters — veteran referee Jason Herzog decided to steal the show during the third fight of the night.

After the crowd witnessed two spectacular finishes, Lucas Rocha and Stewart Nicoll stepped into the Octagon for one of the most anticipated flyweight bouts on the prelims. Although the fight didn’t end in a finish, both athletes put on an incredible 15-minute scrap filled with back-and-forth action. Rocha landed 115 significant strikes compared to Nicoll’s 45, earning a unanimous decision victory. While the fighters rightfully took center stage, Jason Herzog drew attention for his proficiency in Portuguese. 

Around the 4:30 mark of Round 2, Herzog began speaking to Rocha in Portuguese, communicating clearly with the Brazilian fighter Rocha in his native language. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time the veteran referee showcased his language skills. Back in May 2020, Herzog also spoke in Portuguese to Augusto Sakai during his fight against Blagoy Ivanov at UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns, warning him for grabbing the cage.

This is a developing story….