Who is Marc Goddard? All about UFC referee who officiated Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O'Malley at UFC 292

Marc Goddard is one of the most well-known referees in all of MMA, standing alongside the likes of Herb Dean and the now-retired John McCarthy as the sport's most prominent officiating authorities. But what else is known or unknown about Goddard, both in personal and professional terms?

Some fans might be shocked to learn that, despite his accent, Marc Goddard is actually Scottish and a native of Glasgow, the country's largest city.

Both of his parents are Scottish, but he was raised in Birmingham on English soil, the city that reigning welterweight champion Leon Edwards was also raised.

Perhaps more shocking to some fans, however, is the news that Goddard isn't just another referee. Instead, he is a former mixed martial artist and submission grappler, having taken part in 14 bouts at heavyweight. Unfortunately, his MMA record is less than stellar, consisting of seven wins, six losses and one draw.

He retired from active competition back in 2008. He is far more noteworthy for his refereeing several high-profile fights, including the UFC 292 headliner, which featured a bantamweight title fight between then-defending champion Aljamain Sterling facing off against Sean O'Malley.

The bout ended with a record-breaking triumph for O'Malley, who crowned himself the new 135-pound titleholder. Some, however, including top bantamweight contender and Aljamain Sterling's close friend Merab Dvalishvili, have decried the second-round stoppage too early.

This isn't the first time that Goddard has been accused of stopping a fight too early. The former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington accused the referee of stopping his first bout with Kamaru Usman at UFC 245 prematurely.

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What issues does Conor McGregor have with Marc Goddard?

It is no longer surprising when news about Conor McGregor feuding with someone makes headlines. The Irishman has grown into an increasingly volatile figure in recent years. But this wasn't always the case. Among the first instances of 'The Notorious' showing enmity for a non-fighter took place back in 2017.

At Bellator 187, one of Conor McGregor's teammates, Charlie Ward, made his professional debut and scored a first-round knockout over John Redmond. The former UFC double champion quickly entered the cage to celebrate with Ward. Unfortunately, he wasn't a licensed cornerman.

Furthermore, Marc Goddard, who was refereeing the fight, had yet to determine if the knockout had taken place before the bell. Goddard separated McGregor from Ward, prompting the Irishman to shove him in a brief melee.