Veteran referee "Big" John McCarthy's application to the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a license to officiate in the state was not immediately approved due to the number of referees already offciating in Nevada, according to Sherdog. Nevada does "not anticipate adding any additional referees at this time.  We will place [McCarthy's] application in the pending file in case the situation changes," Keith Kizer, executive director of the NSAC, wrote to McCarthy in a letter, according to Sherdog. ...

“Big” John McCarthy has been assigned to referee at Strikeforce: Destruction 21 November in San Jose by the California State Athletic Commission, according to Sherdog Tuesday. McCarthy had announced his retirement from officiating in December 2007 and joined The Fight Network as a commentator and analyst. McCarthy recently left his position at The Fight Network and at that time raised the possibility of returning to refereeing. “I missed doing it,” McCarthy said.  “Sometimes when you walk away from something and you think it’s time, once you’re away you realize what you’re missing –- it’s kind of like why guys come back to fighting.  It’s what I like doing.  It’s what I was meant to do.” ...

“Big” John McCarthy announced Tuesday that he is leaving The Fight Network, and is leaving the door open for a possible return to refereeing. His departure from The Fight Network seems to be less than amicable.  Among his farewells in his latest blog post (to co-founder Mike Garrow, play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo, radio host John Pollock, and others) he writes, “While I will not miss what has happened or transpired at the company, I am really going to miss some very special people that I have come to know and respect in my short time with them.” McCarthy later adds, “To all of the higher ups that have taken over the Fight Network over the last year I only have this to say.............. Shame on you..................” As for his next step, “Big” John may find himself back to officiating. “A few people have said that I have attacked the UFC.  That is simply not true.  I have never said anything bad about the UFC.  I spent 14 years of my life trying to build up the UFC and make people understand how incredible the fighters of MMA were.  I considered myself very lucky in the fact that I was able to be around the UFC for as long as I was and you never know maybe I will go back to refereeing and someday work another UFC.” McCarthy is the former head referee of the UFC, who debuted at UFC 2 in 1994.  Since retiring in December 2007, he has provided commentary and analysis for The Fight Network. ...

Affliction MMA officially announced Monday that Jay Glazer, "Twinkle Toes" Frank Trigg, “Big” John McCarthy and Michael Buffer will make up its broadcast team for its 19 July debut event. Glazer will provide the play-by-play commentary. He is a senior writer for Fox Sports, sideline reporter for NFL on Fox, and co-hosted PRIDE FC shows on Fox Sports Net. Trigg will be colour commentator. Trigg (16-6), a PRIDE and UFC veteran and Fighters.com’ seventh-ranked middleweight, co-hosted PRIDE on FSN with Glazer, and currently co-hosts MMA Weekly and TAGG radio shows. McCarthy, as previously reported, will commentate and also conduct interviews. Michael Buffer will be the ring announcer. Buffer announces boxing and professional wrestling matches and is known for his catchphrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” Mauro Ranallo, who was previously believed to be part of the team, was not mentioned in the press release. ...

Affliction MMA officially announced Thursday that “Big” John McCarthy will provide colour commentary, alongside Mauro Ranallo, for its debut event on 19 July. Since retiring as head referee for the UFC in December, “Big” John has provided commentary and analysis of UFC events at The Fight Network. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt also runs his MMA school, Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Academy in Valencia, CA, in Los Angeles County. ...