UFC Releases statement regarding Dana White’s removal of judge Hughes

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) release an official statement last Tuesday which contains an apology from President Dana White to judge Hughes after an internal review was conducted with regards to White removing Hughes from the panel in the UFC fight held in Macao. This is in relation to a breach of independent regulatory protocol.

It can be remembered that after the decision of the first two bouts in UFC Fight Night 48 was disparaged, UFC pulled out a judge from the panel and requested to sit out of the next match.

UFC President Dana White explained during the UFC Fight Night 48 post-fight press conference. He said "He was involved in the first fight and the second fight. I told the guys to go let him grab some beer and some popcorn and go sit down and start watching some fights, not judging them."

The full statement, which was posted on UFC.com is seen below:

After an internal review, the UFC organization announced today that a breach of its independent regulatory protocol occurred on Saturday night during UFC FIGHT NIGHT MACAO.

After the second fight of the night, UFC President Dana White requested that Howard Hughes, one of the event's five assigned judges, be removed from working any further bouts. Pursuant to UFC's protocol, neither White nor any other UFC executive possesses such authority. Nevertheless, protocol was breached and Hughes did not work further bouts on Saturday night.

The UFC organization has always been in support of government regulation and oversight. Additionally, the UFC has established a protocol when required to self-regulate events due to the lack of an official athletic commission, federation or other regulatory body. In those instances where UFC holds events in locations without a regulatory body, the UFC's protocol dictates that the organization's internal regulators will handle all commission functions independently and without interference by company executives or employees.

The UFC remains committed to maintaining the strictest regulatory environment for competition and vows that no similar breach of protocol will happen again.

Both White and the UFC apologize to Mr. Hughes for calling his professional judgment into question. Hughes has judged more than 25 UFC fight cards and the UFC looks forward to him working on its events again in the future.