'Once you enter the Octagon, the whole world fades away and all you see are the fighters. In the end you only have a split second to make the right decision'
A Cork MMA ref has just made history after stepping into the Octagon for ferocious bouts between top-level fighters in Paris.
Derek was headhunted by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and started making a few bob reffing for major competitions - all while keeping his security job at a pharmaceutical company in Ringaskiddy. He soon became a respected regulator in MMA circles and earned the IMMAF's World Official of the Year Award in 2019.
"I start getting nervous on the build-up to events like this. I think my wife feels it a little more than I do! You're just thinking that there'll be 20,000 people watching you live, and if you make a mistake it'll be plastered all over the internet tomorrow. Derek is incredibly passionate about the sport and loves working as a referee - but he admits that some days he thinks of "packing it all in". On top of the regular travel and being forced to spend time away from family, the Cork man's biggest gripe with the job is how referees are treated on social media.
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