The third man in the cage isn’t why the masses tune in to watch fights.

However, officials used by major promotions on a frequent basis often rack up more cage-time on international airwaves than the athletes they oversee.

Week after week, the officials grace the streams of MMA fans around the world. With that, a sense of familiarity is built. They become household names among viewers.

While they may have gained fame through officiating fights, many referees got started as competitors themselves – just check the tape.

Buried in the bowels of YouTube are some of the most popular referees in MMA today throwing punches, kicks, and elbows. Scroll below to watch six referees frequently used by the UFC, Bellator, and PFL compete in MMA bouts.

OK, so this is perhaps the most obvious of the bunch. Out of all the MMA referees who populate the realm of major promotional regularity, Frank Trigg has the most impressive competitor resume. He competed seven times in the UFC and challenged for the promotion’s welterweight championship twice. He retired from competition in 2011 and debuted as a referee in 2014.

The most familiar face in European MMA refereeing is now one of the most universally used officials in the game today. Though his rise to notoriety came on the officiating side, Marc Goddard competed 14 times as a professional MMA fighter from his debut in 2002 up until his competitive retirement in 2008. He competed for Cage Warriors and Cage Rage, among other promotions.

Over the past few years, Blake Grice has established himself in the “big leagues” of MMA officiating. A respected referee, judge, and instructor, Grice has been the overseer of his fair share of major promotional bouts. While he never competed professionally, Grice compiled a 3-1 record as an amateur prior to his officiating days.

Arguably the most recognizable MMA referee of all time, Herb Dean competed five times as a professional MMA fighter. Dean competed all over the map including bouts in the United States, United Kingdom, and South Korea. The most notable name on his record is Joe Riggs, who Dean fought 19 months prior to Riggs’ UFC debut.

Canada-based official Jerin Valel has partaken in many UFC events as both a referee and an official – but he also competed three times as a professional MMA fighter. While no tape exists of these bouts, a grappling match against a youngster incorrectly called “Rory McDonell” in a decade-old YouTube video.

Before Keith Peterson was “no nonsense” he was throwing punches on the New Jersey regional scene. In the span of 20 months, Peterson competed seven times. He won four and finished two. His career ended after a trilogy with a fighter named Jose Villanueva, who won the series 2-1. Villanueva went on to go 1-2-1 as a professional, as Peterson grinded his way to become one of the most used high-level officials in recent years.

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