Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw was among the UFC 306 viewers who were confused by Herb Dean’s constant calls for main eventers Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili to “keep working.” Dean interjected himself into the evening’s headliner almost immediately after Dvalishvili and O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch’ began jawing at one another. Not long after that, Dean had to admonish ‘The Machine’ for, of all things, kissing O’Malley on the back during a grappling exchange. Unfortunately, Dean’s intrusions didn’t stop there. During the championship rounds, the tenured referee continuously prompted both fighters to “work” despite Dvalishvili being in a dominant grappling position for much of the contest. Even in the fifth round as O’Malley appeared to hurt Dvalishvili with a front kick to the body and was in hot pursuit of the knockout shot, Dean could be heard repeating “work” over and over bringing frustration to fans watching at home, and the commentary trio consisting of Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier.

Dillashaw’s comments came after a controversial decision by Dean to award O’Malley a point for a takedown that was deemed illegal by Dillashaw. This decision, according to Dillashaw, was a clear example of Dean’s bias towards O’Malley. Dillashaw’s accusations were met with mixed reactions from the MMA community.

sean O’Malley Looking at 6-8 Month Layoff following UFC 306 Loss UFC 306 inside Sphere was a spectacle unlike any other in combat sports history. Sadly, very little of the post-event conversation has surrounded the impeccable production. Instead, much of it has focused on Dean’s confusing calls for action and Sean O’Malley’s uninspired performance throughout the 25-minute affair. Though, to be fair, ‘Sugar’ recently revealed that he suffered a torn labrum 10 weeks out from fight night, an injury serious enough that it will see him undergo surgery on October 3. “I have surgery on Oct. 3,” O’Malley revealed. “I tore my left labrum in my hip. That’s the only reason I’m going to be out for so long. This surgery should only take two months to come back from, then a couple months recovery. A year is a long time, could be six to eight months. You never know.”

Still, O’Malley is not using that as an excuse and instead will chalk it up to a bad night at the office. O’Malley is expected to sit on the sidelines for the next 6-8 months while the bantamweight division moves on without him.