Daniel Cormier slams referee Herb Dean for inadequate intervention following vicious KO at UFC 317

Daniel Cormier criticized Herb Dean for his inadequate intervention during the fight between Jack Hermansson and Gregory Rodriguez at UFC 317.

In Round 1 of the preliminary card headlining bout, a left hook from Rodriguez knocked Hermansson out on impact, causing his body to go limp as he went crashing down. However, in the heat of the moment, Rodriguez walked over to Hermansson and delivered a vicious hammer fist just before referee Dean could step in to wave off the fight officially.

In a worrying visual, Hermansson was unresponsive for a significant amount of time after the fight, raising concerns about his health. However, he regained consciousness and was escorted out of the octagon on his own feet.

Check out the finishing sequence below:

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Cormier, a member of the UFC broadcast team, expressed his disapproval of Dean's delay in intervening, stating during the commentary:

“Why didn’t the ref jump in there and stop that? He’s laying there out... He should not have allowed him to take that last punch... He was done. He’s laying down... It’s not like he hit him right away. He literally walked up to him and throws. He thought the fight was going to be stopped...” [H/T Bloody Elbow]

The replay showed that Dean, one of the most respected MMA referees, rushed to stop the fight immediately after Hermansson hit the ground unconscious. However, he could not reach in time to prevent Rodriguez from landing the follow-up strike. Cormier then acknowledged Dean's efforts, stating:

"He did try to stop it from behind." [H/T Bloody Elbow]

During the main card bout between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van, the UFC broadcast team provided an update about Hermansson's condition. They reported that the UFC medical team had cleared Hermansson, and he was allowed to leave the arena on his own.

The fight against Rodriguez marked Hermansson's first competitive appearance since February 2024, when he defeated Joe Pyfer by unanimous decision. Meanwhile, the win over 'Joker' helped Rodriguez get back in the win column after his fourth-round TKO defeat against Jared Cannonier this past February.

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Edited by Rajneesh Suhas Reddy