A legendary UFC referee has voiced strong criticism over a disputed moment during the UFC 316 women’s bantamweight title fight. The match between Kayla Harrison and Julianna Pena sparked debate due to a referee’s decision to deduct a point, and the official’s handling of the situation has drawn ire.
The referee, John McCarthy, highlighted a specific foul that changed the fight’s flow on his podcast Weighin.
“That you can look at when she was on the ground, she kicked up. The point taken was the right thing to do by Araujo, but it was the wrong thing to put them in a standing position. You had a bottom fighter foul the person on top. That means the bottom fighter goes back to being on the bottom. They don’t get out of a position by fouling. What the f**k is wrong with people?”
The comment points to frustration with the referee’s choice to restart the fight standing.
Good on Julianna Pena for tapping. Kayla Harrison would have taken that arm home if not pic.twitter.com/tlDN5LK51C
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) June 8, 2025
McCarthy also defended the point deduction on Weighin.
“Absolutely [he should have taken the point]. She got kicked to the face twice while on the ground. Absolutely he should have taken [a point]. Yeah, that’s exactly what she [Pena] told him [that the kicks weren’t intentional]. I would have looked at her and said the same thing I say to every fighter. Yeah, my kids lie to me too.”
This reflects skepticism about Pena’s explanation and a call for stricter enforcement.
Kayla Harrison, born in 1990 in Ohio, entered MMA with a strong judo foundation. She won Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016 before dominating PFL with lightweight titles in 2019 and 2021. Joining UFC in 2024, she debuted with a win over Holly Holm and claimed the bantamweight title at UFC 316 with a second-round submission of Pena.
Julianna Pena, born in 1989 in Washington, rose through the ranks with a wrestling background. She joined UFC in 2013, earning a reputation for toughness. Her biggest moment came in 2021 when she upset Amanda Nunes to win the bantamweight title. After losing it back to Nunes in 2022, she regained interim status in 2023 but lost to Harrison at UFC 316, marking a key chapter in her career.
Both fighters bring unique skills to the octagon. Harrison’s grappling meets Pena’s wrestling, shaping their competitive history and the controversial moments that followed.
Referee’s Views on Women in Combat Sports
McCarthy addressed a broader issue on Weighin, referencing Pena’s past experience. Over a decade ago, while working as a server, Pena engaged in a street fight with a 6’3” male line cook after a workplace dispute escalated. She recounted being dropped three times, sustaining 11 stitches around her eye, and learning a hard lesson about fighting men.
McCarthy said, “The truth is, Hollywood does a lot of things for people in believing that women can… take on a man and fight a man. No… A professional mixed martial artist in the female category, if they take on someone [who] doesn’t know how to fight, they can do well, okay?” He added, “But, if they take on someone [who] knows how to fight, they’re going to have f**king problems, okay? This is why we don’t have women fighting men. It’s not a good outcome for anybody.”
His stance underscores safety concerns, drawing from Pena’s real-life encounter.
Kayla Harrison, now the bantamweight champion, is set to face Amanda Nunes, who recently announced her return from retirement. The fight, long anticipated due to their past at American Top Team, could happen later this year, offering Harrison a chance to solidify her reign. Julianna Pena, after losing her title, may look to rebuild with a strong contender match, possibly against a top-ranked fighter like Ketlen Vieira, to reclaim her standing in the division.
