Among the ones taking heat from fans in the UFC, are the referees. While Steve Mazzagatti and Mario Yamasaki have been ousted by Dana White for alleged bad calls, refs like Herb Dean and Dan Miragliotta have garnered the ire of fans from time to time. Referees are human after all, and so they aren’t immune to making mistakes! That’s exactly been the case with veteran MMA referee, Marc Goddard. He had been on the receiving end of some critical remarks about his work in two matchups that saw former 2-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya succumb to a KO/TKO defeat in his UFC career. As fighters, it certainly hurts them when they are the ones who face the consequences of referees’ decisions, but that didn’t seem to be an issue with ‘Izzy’.

When Marc Goddard bumped into Israel Adesanya backstage during UFC 312, the veteran ref wasted no time in saying, “I’m f**king sorry, man,” to the former champion, who responded in a way that defines the kind of champion athlete he is. He admitted that in one of his fights, which was against Alex Pereira, he was pretty dazed and Goddard did the right thing by calling his shot to end the fight, and while doing so, he also advised the veteran not to pay attention to the noise in the community.

“Ignore all that, don’t worry. Nice to see you away from the cage. Don’t be [sorry]. I’ll tell you one thing. The one in New York, I was like eh, but this was good. You know why? I wasn’t there. I was moving, but it was all instincts,” Israel Adesanya responded. This showcased what a true professional ‘Izzy’ really is as an athlete, and this really tugged at the heartstrings of the British referee, prompting Goddard to pen down a heartfelt confession about the moment he had with Adesanya at the Qudos Arena.

“The things that people don’t see! I don’t know what to say right now ….. but I’d like to thank [Israel Adesanya] wholeheartedly for sharing this moment, and I think it is Israel’s brother who was recording,” wrote Marc Goddard on Instagram. “For a certified Hall of Famer and one of the true GOATs of the sport to share this and show this side of character & humility is amazing, and it means a lot to me.”

Marc Goddard even showered praise on Israel Adesanya for securing a well-deserved spot in the Hall of Fame alongside his former rival Kelvin Gastelum for the barnburner of a fight they had back at UFC 236. Clearing out that there’s nothing personal in the choices he makes inside the Octagon, the 50-year-old veteran ref also reminded people about the times when he was refereeing the fights that Adesanya won as well.

“On the cusp of having his fight with [Kelvin Gastelum] rightfully immortalized in the UFC Hall of Fame, a fight that shall ever be in my heart & mind, this is extra special. As with so many things in MMA the moments that aren’t seen, heard & felt forever remain,” Goddard further stated. “I have raised Izzy’s hand 3 times as a World Champion, but one of the cruel realities of this sport is that (sadly) sometimes there is another victor.”

In fact, Marc Goddard holds the fight between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin in very high regard, as he was the referee in that bout. Moreover, in a confession last year, the veteran referee even claimed to have been left teary-eyed in the aftermath of the Hall-of-Fame middleweight clash. Let’s see what he had to say.

Marc Goddard’s thoughts on the Israel Adesanya vs Kelvin Gastelum fight at UFC 236

UFC 236 was one of Israel Adesanya’s highlight-reel-worthy outings in his entire UFC career, which is also the same for Kelvin Gastelum despite being on the losing end of their clash. However, the PPV recorded over a million dollars in ticket sales as the main event won the entire MMA community’s hearts, but not more than Marc Goddard’s, which was apparent in his confession about officiating the fight.

“That fight, when you’ve got two fighters that went into the deepest, f***ing darkest depths of their soul. Deepest, darkest waters imaginable or possible in a fight, and I was alongside them, standing three feet away, witnessing this unfold,” Marc Goddard said during an interview with talkSPORT. The 50-year-old revealed that he could not believe the punishment Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum laid down on each other just to come out on top at the end of it. Officiating that fight was so hard for Goddard that he was left in tears backstage in the aftermath.

“You watch the fight when it finishes. I run off straight away, I know they’re safe. Head in my hands, and I won’t be ashamed to say I’ve cried after that fight. Watching it back, because it was ungodly what those guys did, it was ungodly,” Marc Goddard added.

Well, the score’s settled now between the ref and the fighter as we wait to see what happens the next time Marc Goddard officiates one of Israel Adesanya’s fights. But in the meantime, let us know your thoughts on their wholesome moment at UFC 312.