John McCarthy (referee)

McCarthy spent some time as an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department, retiring around 2008.{{Cite news |date=2011-06-16 |title=The man behind the catchphrase 'Let's get it on' |language=en |work=The Hamilton Spectator |url=https://www.thespec.com/sports/2011/06/16/the-man-behind-the-catchphrase-let-s-get-it-on.html |access-date=2022-05-16 |issn=1189-9417}}

In 1993, he became involved with the newly created Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighting tournament. He was the referee for UFC 2, launching a career as a UFC referee. The UFC initially started with very few rules, but McCarthy gave feedback that it was too dangerous and suggested additional rules, many of which were adopted. McCarthy would often start matches by saying "let's get it on" to the fighters, which became an iconic catchphrase that is associated with him and his refereeing.

The nickname of "Big John" came about because of his size and stature. He stands {{Height|ft=6|in=3}} and weighs {{Convert|265|lb|kg|abbr=unit}}; making him larger than the majority of the athletes over whom he presides. According to a UFC interview, the nickname was given to him by UFC co-founder and promoter Art Davie. McCarthy recalls that the nickname began when he forcibly lifted Davie off the ground and held him in the air.{{Cite news|url=http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/100-fighter-nickname-origins|title=100 fighter nickname origins|work=The Underground|access-date=2018-05-17}}

In 2018, McCarthy retired from UFC refereeing, and moved to Bellator as a commentator.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/1/13/16886578/fightweets-who-get-the-best-of-ufc-bellator-announcing-changes|title=Fightweets: Who got the best of UFC/Bellator announcing changes?|work=MMA Fighting|access-date=2018-01-14}} He currently serves as a judging and rules analyst for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), who acquired Bellator in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Professional Fighters League Acquires Bellator in Industry Transformative Deal |url=https://pflmma.com/news/professional-fighters-league-acquires-bellator-in-industry-transformative-deal |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=pflmma.com}}

• World MMA Awards
• Referee of the Year (Three times; 2015, 2016 and 2017){{cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/2/5/10924620/world-mma-awards-2016-results|title=World MMA Awards 2016 Results|author=Bryan Tucker|date=February 5, 2016|publisher=mmafighting.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/3/2/14785422/world-mma-awards-2017-results|title=World MMA Awards 2017 Results|author=Bryan Tucker|date=March 2, 2017|publisher=mmafighting.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/7/3/17532430/world-mma-awards-2018-results|title=World MMA Awards 2018 Results|author=Bryan Tucker|date=July 4, 2018|publisher=mmafighting.com}}

McCarthy has two sons and a daughter, one of who has been an MMA judge since 2013.{{cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/03/john-mccarthy-relates-judges-scoring-criteria-adesanya-vs-romero|title=John McCarthy weighs in on judges' scoring criteria, applies it to Adesanya vs. Romero|author=Farah Hannoun|publisher=mmajunkie.com|date=March 20, 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mmadecisions.com/judge/358/Ron-McCarthy|title=Ron MCCARTHY|website=mmadecisions.com|access-date=2020-03-23|archive-date=2020-03-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323120130/http://www.mmadecisions.com/judge/358/Ron-McCarthy|url-status=dead}} McCarthy currently resides in Tennessee.{{Cite web|title=Weighing in Podcast #124|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpHIFDaKIRA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/jpHIFDaKIRA |archive-date=2021-12-21|url-status=live|website=Youtube}}{{cbignore}}

On September 1, 2011, McCarthy's autobiography, Let's Get It On - The Making of MMA and its Ultimate Referee, was published.{{cite web|last=Moles |first=Jason |url=http://www.cagepotato.com/interview-big-john-mccarthy-talks-his-new-book-dana-white-and-fighters-crapping-themselves/ |title=Interview: "Big" John McCarthy Talks His New Book, Dana White and Fighters Crapping Themselves |publisher=Cagepotato |access-date=2014-03-02}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mmamania.com/2011/8/30/2393647/mmamania-book-review-lets-get-it-on-by-big-john-mccarthy |title=MMAmania book review: Let's Get It On! by 'Big' John McCarthy |date=30 August 2011 |publisher=MMAmania.com |access-date=2014-03-02}}{{cite web |url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/200236 |title=Wrestling - [PODCAST] 411 MMA Interviews Big John McCarthy |publisher=411mania.com |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101113456/http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/200236 |archive-date=2014-01-01 }}{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/mma/post/2011-09-04/big-john-mccarthy-interview/545882/1 |title=McCarthy: Refereeing 'a lot different than people think' |publisher=Usatoday30.usatoday.com |date=2011-09-04 |access-date=2014-03-02}}{{cite web|url=http://www.apocalypsemma.com/2011/09/%E2%80%98big%E2%80%99-john-mccarthy-new-book-on-mma-history/ |title='Big' John McCarthy New Book on MMA History |publisher=Apocalypsemma.com |access-date=2014-03-02}}

McCarthy had a cameo appearance in the Friends episode, "The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion".

McCarthy also served as the referee on the MTV2 series Bully Beatdown, along with professional mixed martial artist Jason "Mayhem" Miller.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/shows/bully_beatdown/season_2/cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=13047|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205005635/http://www.mtv.com/shows/bully_beatdown/season_2/cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=13047|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2009|title=MTV Original TV Shows, Reality TV Shows | MTV |publisher=mtv.com|access-date=2015-11-25}}

McCarthy is featured in the award-winning mixed martial arts documentary Fight Life, the film is directed by James Z. Feng and released in 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.fightlife.tv |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716002249/http://www.fightlife.tv/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-07-16 |title=FIGHT LIFE - MMA Documentary by James Z. Feng |publisher=fightlife.tv |access-date=2015-11-25 }}

McCarthy appeared in Season 3b, Episode 5 of Entourage.

McCarthy appeared at the end of the film Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown.

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.mmareferee.com/ COMMAND officiating official site]
• [http://tapology.com/search/mma-fights-by-referee/big-john-mccarthy List of bouts refereed by "Big" John McCarthy] on Tapology
• {{IMDb name|1853351}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:American color commentators

Category:American sports podcasters

Category:American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Category:Los Angeles Police Department officers

Category:Living people

Category:Mixed martial arts broadcasters

Category:Mixed martial arts referees

Category:Sportspeople from Los Angeles