UFC 216: Judges, referee selected for Tony Ferguson vs. Kevin Lee interim title fight

Veteran referee Herb Dean will be the third man in the cage when Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee collide for UFC interim lightweight title on Oct. 7 at UFC 216.

The Nevada Athletic Commission on Monday unanimously selected Dean to referee the contest at its monthly commission meeting in Las Vegas.

As for the judges for Ferguson vs. Lee, the NAC appointed the trio of Chris Lee, Junichiro Kamijo, and Derek Cleary to oversee the interim title bout. All three judges are Nevada regulars often appointed for high-profile UFC fights.

UFC 216 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event’s main card is slated to air live on pay-per-view.

The moment is one that is a long time coming for Ferguson (22-3), the top-ranked contender in the UFC’s lightweight division. Overall, “El Cucuy” has won nine consecutive fights, a run highlighted by victories over former UFC champion Rafael dos Anjos and Edson Barboza. Ferguson was previously scheduled to face undefeated contender Khabib Nurmagomedov for the interim lightweight strap at UFC 209, however that fight fell apart when Nurmagomedov fell ill and was transported to the hospital the night before weigh-ins.

Instead, Ferguson will now meet Lee (16-2), a 25-year-old rising name in the 155-pound division who has won five straight fights, culminating in his first-round submission over Michael Chiesa this past summer.