Draft:Dan Miragliotta

Dan Miragliotta (born August 30, 1963) is a professional mixed martial arts referee, judge and former actor from the United States. best known for officiating numerous bouts promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), dating back to UFC 78. He was credited as one the best referees in MMA, as well as one of the most recognizable and active referees on the promotion in both 2022 and 2023. As of September 2024, Miragliotta has officiated 1,199 MMA fights.

Dan Miragliotta
Born	Dan Miragliotta (1963-10-30) October 30, 1963 New Jersey, United States
Other names	"Big Dan Miragliotta"
Occupation(s)	MMA referee, MMA judge, actor

Martial arts background

Miragliotta started training Shitō-ryū karate at 14 years of age to recover from a surfing accident that caused two vertebraes in his back to break. He would eventually begin competing in the sport and recieved his black belt when he was 18 years old. Miragliotta would then go on to train and compete in both Kenpo karate (in which he would eventually earn a 5th Dan black belt) and Doce Pares Eskrima, a filipino stick fighting martial art. Miragliotta would eventually start training Muay Thai and shootfighting, becoming an instructor in both, under Vut Kamnark and Bart Vale (3rd level). He is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt under Renzo Gracie.

Acting career

Miragliotta did stunts for the movie Noah (2014) and acted as an extra in the movie Tracers (2015) (Russian Gangster #2). He also acted as an extra in the TV series Daredevil (Big Biker) and Person of Interest (Corrupt Cop with Shotgun), both roles were uncredited. Miragliotta is also set to star as himself in the upcoming movie "Memoirs from the Streets of New York".

MMA referee and judge

Begginings

Miragliotta began his career as an MMA referee in the promotion US Vale Tudo, a promotion based in Virginia, and would then go on to run his own MMA events in New Jersey, occupying the roles of both the promoter, organizer and referee (even becoming a boxing referee). Although members of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (SACB) attended events, they did not regulate them at the time. This would lead to other promotions asking Miragliotta to referee at their own events. By the time the SACB began regulating professional MMA in the state, it is reported Miragliotta had already refereed more than 400 fights.

In the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Miragliotta would have his first appearance in the promotion on UFC 78: Validation, where he would referee five fights, including the main event: Rashad Evans vs. Michael Bisping. Since then, he has been "the third man" in many fights on several important events held by the promotion, among these:

• UFC 87:
  • Assignments:
  • Tamdan McCrory vs. Luke Cummo
  • Kenny Florian vs. Roger Huerta
  • Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring
  • Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (main event)
• UFC 112:
  • Assignments:
  • DeMarques Johnson vs. Brad Blackburn
  • Phil Davis vs. Alexander Gustafsson
  • Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia (main event)
• UFC 172:
  • Assignments:
  • Danny Castillo vs. Charlie Brenneman
  • Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira
• UFC 198:
  • Assignments:
  • Francisco Trinaldo vs. Yancy Medeiros
  • Stipe Miocic vs.Fabricio Werdum
• UFC 223:
  • Assignments:
  • Devin Clark vs. Mike Rodriguez
  • Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Joe Lauzon
  • Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta (main event)

As of September 2024, Miragliotta's latest appearance in the promotion was UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Borralho, where he officiated three fights, including the main event.

In other promotions

Although best known for his role in the beginnings of MMA and appearances in the UFC, throughout his career, Miragliotta has continued to work for many other MMA promotions such as: Bellator MMA, Professional Fighters League, Cage Warriors, Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Art of War, among others. He has also participated in many importants events in these promotions, most notably Bellator 180 and Bellator 214.

Controversy

Dan Miragliotta has been involved in several controversies throughout his time as a referee and judge. One of the most infamous was his stoppage of the main event of EliteXC: Primetime, Kevin Ferguson (better known as Kimbo Slice) vs. James Thompson.

In 2011, Miragliotta admitted the only call he ever made he was regretful of was the highly criticized stoppage of the fight between Brandon Vera and Fabricio Werdum, on UFC 85. Late into the first round, Werdum mounted Vera and began punching him, Miragliotta stopped the fight with twenty seconds left in the round. He would later go on to declare that while Vera was trying to reassure him that he was okay, he misinterpreted it as a verbal submission. This decision would be heavily criticized by both fans and the media, with several attendees at the event and commentator Joe Rogan protesting the stoppage.