Big John McCarthy will retire after...........

[tuco]

The best known referee in mixed martial arts will step down after Saturday’s UFC card at the Palms Hotel.

“Big” John McCarthy, who has been a referee since UFC 2 in 1994, will work the main event of The Ultimate Fighter finale on Saturday between Roger Huerta and Clay Guida and then announce his retirement.

McCarthy, 45, will take a job as an MMA analyst with The Fight Network.

I think we all knew this was probably the reason for the big announcement from The Fight Network on Friday, but jeez, can’t you let the man have his moment?

It will be sad to see McCarthy go. He’s truly the only person left from the old days of the UFC and has refereed some of the greatest fights in mixed martial arts history. I was hoping he’d be the referee for Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell, as it seems only fitting that we see “Big” John tell these two legendary fighters to “get it on,” after all these years of waiting. Alas, that seems as if it will not be.

It’s sad to see ya go, “Big” John McCarthy, but good luck in your future endeavors.

From

damn i sure gonna mis Big John - he was/is the icon of the UFC

[keithlewis]

The mental wizards on Sherdog said he was going to be fighting.

Nice to hear that isn't the case!

[WESTWOOD303]

He'll be fighting, WTF!!!