Why does Big John McCarthy have such a good reputation?

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Sheepdog

Protecting America from excessive stool loitering
Dec 1, 2015
8,912
14,237
Why is it that everyone seems to have forgotten that he acted like a psycho who used to attack fighters when stopping fights? He would just sit there and wait while a guy lands a 16 punch GnP flurry and suddenly on the 17th punch he would leap in and tackle the guy with all his might, even breaking Brian Johnston's nose once.

Seriously, if you are a new fan, go watch how he used to stop fights - it's ridiculous.
 

ECC170

Monster's 11,ATM 2,Parlay Challenge,Hero GP Champ
Pro Fighter
Jan 23, 2015
14,376
23,677
Johnston wanted to fight him for that lol
 

MMAHAWK

Real Gs come from California.America Muthafucker
Feb 5, 2015
15,098
32,957
Always has come across as a really good guy that cares about the fighters and the sport. Being an OG around since ufc 2, he was probably the most recognizable person in the ufc in the early days. I can’t remember ever having to explain to anyone who he was. I think a lot of the popularity also comes from the control that he seemed to have in the early days. It was the Wild West in the sport and there was always the unknown at that time of his violent stoppages. I’m not sure anyone really knew what could happen from taking “the extra shots” back then, and he seemed to take the responsibility of protecting the losing fighter to the extreme.
 

Mix6APlix

The more you cry, the less I care.
Oct 20, 2015
12,918
13,449
Yes. Super nice guy and excellent referee.
Jesus, the 6th sign of the apocalypse is upon us. I agree with Leigh.

BJM is, well was, the best in the game. I dont recall ever seeing him make a stoppage I took issue with (Unless he reffed Franca-Fisher). I'd love to see someone ask him where he is today compared to the first UFC he reffed and his expectations at the time. Wild @Wild should contact him for an AMA session.
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,331
Jesus, the 6th sign of the apocalypse is upon us. I agree with Leigh.

BJM is, well was, the best in the game. I dont recall ever seeing him make a stoppage I took issue with (Unless he reffed Franca-Fisher). I'd love to see someone ask him where he is today compared to the first UFC he reffed and his expectations at the time. Wild @Wild should contact him for an AMA session.
I just hit him up about it. Keep you all posted.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Jesus, the 6th sign of the apocalypse is upon us. I agree with Leigh.

BJM is, well was, the best in the game. I dont recall ever seeing him make a stoppage I took issue with (Unless he reffed Franca-Fisher). I'd love to see someone ask him where he is today compared to the first UFC he reffed and his expectations at the time. Wild @Wild should contact him for an AMA session.
I saw him a few weeks ago. He reffed at Bellator in the UK. He was still friendly :)
 

MMAHAWK

Real Gs come from California.America Muthafucker
Feb 5, 2015
15,098
32,957
Having watched since UFC 1, I always thought it was best to let them fight until they were, um, incapacitated. Fighters all have a way out, if they don't use it, that's on them.
I get it and I like fights going long when the loser can walk out of the cage. But I believe there would be several deaths by now and the sport would have been banned long ago.
 

Mix6APlix

The more you cry, the less I care.
Oct 20, 2015
12,918
13,449
I get it and I like fights going long when the loser can walk out of the cage. But I believe there would be several deaths by now and the sport would have been banned long ago.
In a perfect world. Did Joe Theisman have any recourse when LT blew up his leg? Would I have ever filed suit if I got hurt on the mats? No. You know what is possible when you sign up for physical activities.... you might have a bad day. The second you sign the waiver, it all goes out the window. Sign up for physical violence, bad things are bound to happen. No one forced you to assign the dotted line. I wrecked my knee, and a couple of ribs alog the ways. I ate it. I signed the waiver. I never considered making it a legal issue.
 

MMAHAWK

Real Gs come from California.America Muthafucker
Feb 5, 2015
15,098
32,957
In a perfect world. Did Joe Theisman have any recourse when LT blew up his leg? Would I have ever filed suit if I got hurt on the mats? No. You know what is possible when you sign up for physical activities.... you might have a bad day. The second you sign the waiver, it all goes out the window. Sign up for physical violence, bad things are bound to happen. No one forced you to assign the dotted line. I wrecked my knee, and a couple of ribs alog the ways. I ate it. I signed the waiver. I never considered making it a legal issue.
Yes but you doing any of that didn’t rely on PPV buys. Most people wouldn’t pay to watch people actually die in a cage. And while Theisman didn’t have a recourse the league has changed dozens of rules over the years to protect the players. Including low hits on quarterbacks.
 

ErikMagraken

Posting Machine
Apr 9, 2015
778
2,553
Those old violent stoppages were in the days before regulation. Promoter controlled all including the ref. Promoter wanted BJM to step in violently. Different world back then.

BJM was one of the biggest factors in creating the unified rules and in leading the sport to regulation. Huge influence in creating consistent scoring and reffing for the sport. Has consistently erred on the side of fighter safety in helping the sport grow. He has undoubtedly earned his good reputation in the sport. Very few have done more for the sport's positive growth than him.
 

Ted Williams' head

It's freezing in here!
Sep 23, 2015
11,283
19,102
Been around forever. Great guy.

Everyone makes mistakes. You clowns are talking about shit that happened like 25 years ago.