TUF 34’s Xavier Franklin calls Herb Dean a ‘lying bastard’ after controversial fight restart

Key Points:

• Xavier Franklin was controversially eliminated from The Ultimate Fighter 34 bantamweight semifinals after referee Herb Dean stopped and then restarted his fight against Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu, leading to confusion and a decision loss for Franklin.
• Dean initially waved off the fight, then claimed he called a timeout, not a stoppage, causing a lengthy break that disrupted Franklin’s momentum and allowed Akylbek Uulu to recover.
• Franklin and coach Michael Bisping expressed strong dissatisfaction with Dean’s handling, accusing him of poor officiating and dishonesty, while Franklin indicated he would prefer not to have Dean referee his future UFC bouts.
• The episode also highlighted tension between Franklin and Akylbek Uulu, longtime friends forced to fight each other, which complicated training dynamics within Team Bisping.
• The Ultimate Fighter 34 continues to stream on Paramount+, with finalists competing for UFC contracts; coaches Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier will not fight post-season as both are retired.