Marc Goddard Offers Lengthy Response To Usman-Woodley Officiating Criticisms

Kamaru Usman’s dominant performance at UFC 235 to capture the welterweight title almost stole the show. “The Nigerian Nightmare” dominated Tyron Woodley for 25 minutes inside the Octagon to win his first-ever UFC world title. However, many mixed martial arts fans were upset with referee Marc Goddard’s officiating.

Goddard kept warning the fighters to work on the ground, and also could be heard telling Usman at one point “it’s a fight”. However, during these warnings, Usman was in dominant position or working form the top. Although there were some booes, other fans understood the brilliance of what Usman was actually doing – and who he was doing it to.

Replying to a Tweet from MMA Fighting’s Luke Thomas, Goddard offered up a lengthy response to the criticisms he received for his officiating at the event. Here’s what he had to say:

Hi Luke, and firstly thank you. I will address in detail this weekend with @danhardymma but a couple of points of note before then.

1. It was a full 25 minute 5×5 fight. There was ONE single solitary stand up the whole entire fight. That came in the 4th round.
2. I don’t know where or how came the notion “multiple stand ups” (not from you it’s what I saw wrote)
3. There was a total of 3 separations the ENTIRE fight.
4. My use of the words “it’s a fight”!have been totally misconstrued. I only spoke in answer to Kamaru who asked why?
5. My use of the words “it’s a fight” was NOT the correct wording to use at that point. It was the wrong choice! I should have used different wording, no question. I have nothing but respect for Kamaru and his entire performance.
6. My actions & words have been misconstrued & for that I can explain in full. Kamaru Usman fought an unbelievable fight & if my words “it’s a fight”’caused him of all people offence on the back of such an amazing performance then im truly sorry. My words at that time were wrong
7. I have received an unbelievable amount of messages, literally hundreds. Questions and disagreements I can ALWAYS deal with that goes with the job, but the vile abuse not so much. This happens to my wife & son too.
8. Hopefully when I speak it can go some way to offering up an explanation as to why I do what I do, and when.
9. Commiserations to Tyrone and respect & to Kamaru.

Thank you.

In closing I will continue to give my all to this sport. A referee makes decisions, not always popular, not always correct but please know I have devoted 20 years to MMA & ALL of its facets. Im far from perfect, I’m just like everyone else. Thanks.

— Marc Goddard (@marcgoddard_uk) March 7, 2019