'Big' John McCarthy says Alex Pereira has it all wrong with Herb Dean controversy in UFC White House fight

Alex Pereira suffered a second-round knockout loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, after which Pereira campaigned for referee Herb Dean's removal, alleging illegal back-of-the-head strikes. Veteran referee 'Big' John McCarthy defended Dean on The Ariel Helwani Show on June 30, 2026, stating that Dean's explanation of the two-inch illegal zone was accurate. McCarthy was unequivocal in his assessment, saying 'Not one of those was an illegal shot' in reference to the strikes Pereira complained about.