Dana White won't say whether Miragliotta's Moicano standup was right: 'I honestly don't know what to think about it'

Dana White would not say whether referee Dan Miragliotta's controversial standup in the UFC Vegas 123 main event was right — saying the UFC has not even discussed it.

White was asked about the call on Wednesday in Las Vegas, at a media event promoting his PBR bull, Playmate. The question concerned the second round of Saturday's lightweight main event between Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan at the Meta Apex, when Miragliotta stood the fighters up while Moicano had Nolan's back with a body triangle locked, hunting a rear-naked choke. Nolan battered Moicano for the rest of the round and finished him with punches via TKO in Round 3.

"I knew that (question) was coming. I honestly don't know what to think about it. We actually haven't talked about it here at all. We haven't even discussed it," White said.

That noncommittal answer is the whole of White's verdict on the call itself. He did not say whether Miragliotta got it right, despite some headlines framing him as defending the referee. His own words do not do that. What he offered instead was a general statement on what a referee should look for, after being asked whether a fighter in back mount or full mount should ever be stood up.

"I don't think it's about having the dominant position. I think it's about are you doing damage and are you trying to win the fight? Are you doing damage and are you trying to win the fight? Because if that's what you want to do, some of these guys are so good they can take your back and just ride it out for three rounds. The rules are if you're not doing damage or trying to advance your position, or trying to win the fight, you get stood up," White said.

Under the Unified Rules of MMA, referees can stand fights up during elongated periods of timidity, though it is rare when one fighter has the back or mount. The UFC broadcast team labelled the decision a "referee error" live on air, and the standup drew heavy criticism from fighters and fans, including Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier and "Big" John McCarthy. Cormier, who called the fight, has said Miragliotta should be pulled from upcoming shows.

Miragliotta has not publicly explained his version of events, as of Nov. 4, but has offered to do so if the Nevada State Athletic Commission authorises him, after an offer from MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.

White was also asked about referee pay, after McCarthy revealed the most he was ever paid to work a UFC event was $2,000. White said that is the commission's business, not his.

"So people online are saying the refs aren't getting paid enough? That's the Nevada State Athletic Commission. That has nothing to do with me. That's up to them. Everybody online is always worried about what everybody else is f—ing making. Worry about your f—ing self. Shut the f— up," White said.

Veteran coach Ray Longo, speaking on the Anik & Florian Podcast, questioned whether anything "from the top" led Miragliotta to stand the fighters up. "I want to know if Dan, there was anything from the top that led him to do that. I don't think he's deciding to do that on his own, that's how bad it was. I just can't see it," Longo said.

Longo offered no evidence that anyone influenced Miragliotta — he wondered aloud; the "influence" is his question, not a finding. But he was blunt about the aftermath, with Nolan winning a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

"It just kind of ruined the fight for me. I've never, ever seen anything like that in my life. Then you start going down rabbit holes. Was it [Miragliotta]? Was he told to do it? The fact that they rewarded that guy with a Bonus of the Night kind of tells me that they wanted that," Longo said.