Fans were shocked to see Mario Yamasaki as a referee at the 2023 PFL World Championship.
On Friday, November 24, the Professional Fighters League ended their 2023 North American season inside The Anthem in Washington, D.C. Throughout the night, twelve fighters fought in championship fights to determine the division’s champion who would walk away with a $1 million check.
Throughout the nights, fans were caught off guard when Mario Yamasaki appeared twice as the referee for Impa Kasanganay vs. Joshua Silveira (light heavyweight) and Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Clay Collard (lightweight).
For those that don’t know, Yamasaki was infamously ridiculed by UFC president Dana White for allowing fights to continue longer than they should’ve. The 59-year-old MMA referee’s skills weren’t tested on Friday, as both of his fights ended by decision.
Once Yamasaki appeared on the PFL broadcast, MMA Mania shared a viral social media post on Twitter about his return. The comment section featured many educated fans who questioned whether he deserves to work a high-profile event:
“He came back to make sure he gets one fatality under his belt before he retires”
“Only one fighter shall survive.”
“poor fighters”
“Someone going to afterlife”
“Lord please protect those fighters from this man”
“Who died? Didn’t watch but has to be the next logical conclusion”
“The return no one asked for”
Mario Yamasaki made his return at the PFL Championship 😳 pic.twitter.com/p52VFIisYY
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) November 25, 2023
How many fights has Mario Yamasaki been a referee for since parting ways with the UFC?
The last time Mario Yamasaki was a referee for the UFC was in February 2018. Yamasaki overlooked the one-sided beatdown that Valentina Shevchenko displayed against Priscila Cachoeira. Following the controversial fight, Dana White sounded off on the Brazilian referee before banning him from the UFC.
Later that year, Yamasaki worked with the Professional Fighters League for ten fights. He then traveled to his hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to work with MMA Brazil Tour, a regional promotion, for seven bouts.
Yamasaki won’t be earning back Dana White’s trust anytime soon. With that said, the 59-year-old is a resident of Washington, D.C., making him a potential referee for any MMA events in the area. It’ll be intriguing to see when and where he appears next.
