Are You Ready??
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Coming off the heels of a Saturday night with not one but two MMA events and days away from a second network TV appearance for EliteXC on CBS, it’s safe to say MMA is not just a passing fancy.
When I was proposed an MMA main event for Monday’s paper, it was a no-brainer. But I knew there was no way I could include everything that needed to be included.
Because when you’re talking about the roots and explosion of the sport, well, there are so many layers.
But one person who has always stood out for me is Big John McCarthy. The diehard fans know full well who I’m talking about. But for those that don’t, Big John was the premier referee in the UFC for years.
At the first UFC events, referees could not stop the fight. Can you believe that? You had to wait for a cornerman to throw in the towel or for a fighter to tap out three times.
Then came Big John. His knowledge and passion for the sport is tough to duplicate. His signature call “Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s get it on.” I loved, no wait, love it.
McCarthy was a Los Angeles police officer before starting with the UFC. He ended up refereeing 535 bouts with his final bout being the Ultimate Fighter 6 final between Roger Huerta and Clay Guida.
If McCarthy stepped in to stop a fight, there was nothing you could do. He was a presence in the octagon, the unofficial “ninth side.”
His role was huge in spurring MMA. He rarely made a questionable stoppage and had the innate ability to stop a fight at just the right time.
It’s interesting to The Boneman that Big John got out just when MMA is getting bigger than ever.
He opened his first MMA school in California in 2006.
There are more referees than ever before, but nobody will ever reach Big John material. He’s just one of the great reasons why MMA is becoming what it is.
Asked in a recent interview why MMA is so popular, Big John put it in the simplest terms possible.
“The thing is, as time goes by and they (state commissions) start feeling comfortable with it, I think you’re gonna see MMA growing. The one thing about [MMA] is everybody understands a fight. It doesn’t take a language or a certain area for people to understand. When two people come together for an MMA match, everybody at least understands what’s going on. And so it’s a global sport.”
Sometimes, you don’t need some complicated explanation.
Next up: The voices of MMA.
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