“Big” JOHN McCARTHY

Mixed Martial Arts

Refereed over 1000-plus bouts worldwide, including hundreds of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) main event fights from UFC 2 (Dec. 1994) up to UFC 77 (Oct. 2007) Refereed for K-1 (Japan), Strikeforce, Affliction and many others and has been a licensed referee in over 20 States/Provinces including California, Utah, Ohio, River Cree (Canada), Manitoba, Sydney (Australia) and many others.

• MMA Referee Instructor for Association of Boxing Commissions
• Attended ABC Annual Conferences since 2002 to give MMA tutorials
• Drafted curriculum and testing system for Certified Officials for Mixed Martial Arts National Development (COMMAND)
• Conducted first referee/judges instructional course at July 2008 ABC Montreal meeting
• Conducts monthly ABC-accredited COMMAND Referee (3-day course) and Judging courses (2-day course) in Valencia, Calif.
• Conducts MMA referee, Judging and Informational courses throughout North America for regulatory bodies and commissions
• Spoke at International Professional Ring Officials Association (IPRO) conference in 2006

Boxing

• Licensed WBC Boxing Referee
• Attended the ABC’s Boxing Referee and Judging Courses 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• Trained with Boxing officials Jack Reiss, Pat Russell and Pat Connelly
• Refereed a WBC NABF World Championship fight at River Cree (Canada)
• Has refereed amateur and professional boxing events

Recognitions

Awarded 2007 commendation by Senator James Battin for his “career accomplishments” in MMA, “for the work he has done to increase the safety, visibility, and importance of mixed martial arts”

• Awarded 2007 proclamation by the California State Athletic Commission for his “dedication and commitment to other officials in helping developing their skills and concern for athletes” Awarded Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt in 2006 Opened Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Academy (fully functional MMA gym) in 2006 Inducted Masters Hall of Fame in 2006 for his “Outstanding Achievements in the Martial Arts” First-ever recipient of the 2008 World MMA Awards’ Lifetime Achievement accolade, voted on by the sport’s most prestigious journalists.

Jerin Valel (aka Ninja Preto)

• Former Professional MMA Fighter
• Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• Medaled and won various BJJ tournaments
• Competed as a wrestler out of the University of Manitoba
• Competed in Kickboxing
• ABC Certified as a Judge for both MMA and Boxing
• ABC Certified as a MMA Referee
• Referee in Kickboxing
• Jerin successfully completed the COMMAND Referee Certification Course in January of 2009 and the COMMAND Judging Certification Course in March of 2009. Jerin spent the next one and half years training directly under John to become C.O.M.M.A.N.D.’s First Certified Instructor in August 2010.