During UFC 330 on Saturday, referee Blake Grice unexpectedly experienced an elbow to the head. This occurred while officiating the match between undefeated middleweight Donte Johnson and experienced striker Eric McConico.
The fight concluded swiftly, lasting only 1 minute and 38 seconds. Johnson landed a precise left-hand punch directly on McConico’s chin, sending him to the mat. Johnson aimed another blow as McConico fell, prompting Grice to intervene and protect McConico from further harm. As Grice moved in, Johnson’s left elbow struck Grice on his head while trying to deliver another punch.
The incident gained attention on social media with videos showing Grice visibly shaken, walking around the Octagon to regain composure. In the post-fight media session, Johnson publicly apologized for unintentionally striking the referee. He stated, “I’m 2-0 on the night — who else wants some?” before quickly adding, “I’m just kidding. I’m sorry Mr. ref. I’ll buy you a cheesesteak or something, but I didn’t mean to do that.”
Grice did not seem seriously injured, which made social media comments easier for him to handle. One fan remarked, “Donte Johnson should get 2 KO UFC performance bonuses. One for McConico and the other for that back elbow on referee Blake Grice.” Another commented, “Respect to the ref, got an iron chin. Let’s see the kid in fighting shorts next time.” A third user joked, “Bro got 2 knockouts in one night is that a 200k bonus.” Finally, someone suggested, “Protect yourself at all times, Ref.”