Referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy Says Amateur Fighters Need To Be Protected Too

'Big' John McCarthy

With the recent death of another amateur mixed martial arts fighter this past Saturday in South Carolina, referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy says tragedies like these could be avoided through the use of medicals and blood tests. On Saturday night in an amateur mma bout in Mount Pleasant, SC, Tyone Mimms was competing in the second bout of the ‘Fight Night at the Point 6′ event, when he collapsed in the locker room following a second round TKO loss to opponent Blake Poore.
Mimms, who was a father of five, was taken to the Medical University Hospital where he died about an hour after passing out.
An autopsy by the Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten provided “no obvious, glaring cause of death.”
Speaking to color commentator Mauro Ranallo on Monday, during a segment of “The MMA Show with Mauro Rannallo,” explained his stance on protecting fighters professional or amateur.

“The UFC has never had a serious injury and that’s because the UFC makes sure all the fighters pass their medicals and have everything else taken care of before they step into the Octagon. They make sure the medicals are up to date, that MRIs are done — the things everyone complains about because they cost money. This is the kind of stuff that could protect Tyrone because he didn’t have medicals, he didn’t have blood tests, none of that was taken care of as an amateur. Amateurs needs to be protected just as much if not more than professionals. Some say they don’t want to take a medical because they don’t get paid, but that’s what will save your life.”

Also featured on Monday’s podcast were Strikeforce women’s fighter Julie Kedzie, Sherdog.com’s Greg Savage, and boxing expert Steve Farhood.