What’s with that call?

Referee, Mario Yamasaki, was the center for controversy this weekend when he ruled Erick Silva the loser by disqualification, due to illegal strikes to the back of Carlos Praters head.  The ruling came as a shock to most of us, including Joe Rogan who later interrogated the referee at the end of the match.

When questioned why did Joe Rogan feel the need to confront Yamasaki on the controversial call Joe responded with this according to www.opposingviews.com

I had to ask Mario about it. I didn’t know how he was going to respond, but I had to ask him.  Erick Silva is a very promising fighter and I felt like I had a responsibility to address the issue.  No disrespect intended.

It seems as if Joe Rogan was just trying to get to the answers that most everyone was questioning.  In a fight where the dominant competitor lands a single strike to the back of the head within a flurry of strikes, why wouldn’t that warrant a warning before a disqualification?

On the other hand it is much easier for the people not in the center of the octagon to make these calls with the benefit of hindsight.  It’s easy to say that fighter didn’t deserve that call or did deserve it whenever you are not responsible for the well being of the men in the cage.

Here’s to hoping we get a little better with the calls in MMA.