TUF 34’s Xavier Franklin calls Herb Dean a ‘lying bastard’ after controversial fight restart

Xavier Franklin's run on The Ultimate Fighter 34 came to a controversial end in the bantamweight semifinal when referee Herb Dean's confusing handling of an eye-poke accusation cost him what he believed was a finish victory.

Franklin was dominant in the third round against Team Michael Bisping's Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu, badly wobbling his opponent with strikes in the final minute. Dean initially waved off the bout, then reversed course after Akylbek Uulu complained of an eye poke. The referee claimed he had only called for a timeout, not a stoppage—a statement that directly contradicted what fighters, coaches, and onlookers heard him say on broadcast ("You're done, stop").

The confusion triggered a video review that lasted approximately five minutes. Franklin says the lengthy break sapped his adrenaline and gave Akylbek Uulu crucial recovery time from the most significant damage of the fight. When action resumed, the fighters went to the scorecards, with Akylbek Uulu earning a decision victory.

Franklin pulled no punches in his criticism, calling Dean a "lying bastard" for denying he had stopped the fight. His coach Bisping was equally furious, pointing out that Dean had permitted Franklin to land additional strikes after allegedly not seeing an eye poke, only then calling the bout off. Franklin expressed frustration that he was forced to leave his fate to the judges despite having finished his opponent, saying it "feels like I didn't lose at the same time that I won."

Dean did not explain his reasoning to anyone involved. Despite elimination from the tournament, Franklin remains optimistic about a UFC contract but has made clear he wants any future fights officiated by someone other than Dean. The incident marks another chapter in Dean's growing list of controversial refereeing decisions that have drawn MMA-wide scrutiny.