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John McCarthy's MMA Officiating Comeback
17 May
Summary
- A 35-year-old Jamaican fighter holds a unique win over Yaroslav Amosov.
- Referee John McCarthy officiated MMA matches for years.
- McCarthy officiated a handful of events in the last 8.5 months.

A 35-year-old fighter from Jamaica, who is the sole individual to have defeated UFC contender Yaroslav Amosov, is making waves. Amosov himself is a former Bellator MMA welterweight champion. The referee for this particular match was the renowned "Big" John McCarthy. McCarthy was instrumental in establishing the rules of the sport and was once the most recognized official in MMA.
After ceasing to officiate in 2017, McCarthy moved into commentary with Bellator MMA and co-hosted a podcast. He resumed his refereeing duties in 2025 and has since officiated a number of events within the last 8.5 months.