12 Facts About Mario Yamasaki

Mario Yamasaki was born on April 22,1964 and is a Brazilian mixed martial arts referee licensed in many states, most recognizable from his duties with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as founder and chief instructor of the International Yamasaki Academy.

Mario Yamasaki was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the oldest of two sons born to Shigeru Mario Yamasaki.

Mario Yamasaki's family has been teaching martial arts in Brazil for two generations.

In 1986, at the age of 22 Mario Yamasaki began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under 5th degree black belt Marcelo Behring, who began teaching jiu-jitsu at the same gym in Sao Paulo where Mario Yamasaki taught judo.

Mario Yamasaki would continue his training in jiu-jitsu under his brother Fernando, who had begun training under Otavio de Almeida and Roberto Lage.

Mario Yamasaki first became affiliated with the UFC, when both he and his brother helped the promotion organize their first event in Brazil, UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil in Sao Paulo.

At UFC 142 Mario Yamasaki controversially disqualified Erick Silva for illegal blows to the head of Carlo Prater.

At UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Anders, Mario Yamasaki was criticized by observers, including Dana White, after he failed to stop a fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Priscila Cachoeira: Shevchenko landed over two hundred strikes to Cachoeira's three.

Mario Yamasaki later said that he let the fight go on because he wanted to "allow [Cachoeira] to be a warrior and keep fighting".

Dana White has previously repeatedly called for Mario Yamasaki to be precluded from refereeing future UFC events, due to numerous similar controversies.

Since the event, Mario Yamasaki has not applied for any UFC refereeing jobs although he has refereed a few other smaller organizations' events.

Mario Yamasaki announced in 2021 that he planned on applying for more regular officiating assignments, as well as taking a judging course organized by the California State Athletic Commission.