McCarthy blames referees for eye poke epidemic
Legendary referee Big John McCarthy hosted the Combat Sports Officials Summit in Las Vegas on Jan. 9–11, 2026, where officials from multiple combat sports reportedly met to address recurring eye-poke incidents.
McCarthy placed the responsibility for the problem squarely on referees, saying inconsistent enforcement has allowed fouls to continue.
Delegates at the summit reportedly admitted that eye pokes and similar fouls have often gone unpenalized under current practices.
California Athletic Commission head Andy Foster is said to be pushing for rule changes that would remove the "intentional vs. unintentional" distinction, a proposal now being discussed by a rules committee.
Sources say any meaningful change will depend on referees actually enforcing new standards, and the measures remain under consideration rather than finalized.
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