'Human chess' of mixed martial arts has taken Winnipeg UFC referee around the world

With nine homegrown fighters on the 12-fight card, Canada is well represented at UFC 297.

It's the same for the referees. Four of the six working Saturday night are Canadian in Jerin Valel, Todd Anderson, Brian E. Beauchamp and Mathew Rocca. The other two are England's Marc Goddard and American Kevin McDonald.

For Winnipeg's Valel, whose first UFC refereeing assignment was UFC 131 in June 2011 in Vancouver, martial arts have been a constant in his life.

A former fighter on the regional circuit himself, he wrestled at university and is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Valel, who is his mid-40s, continues to train today.

"My cauliflower ear and deviated septum are well-earned," he said cheerfully.

Valel has since served as a referee around the world in the UFC, Bellator, PFL and other promotions. He has also worked as a judge and review official.

Valel dismissed the UFC in its beginning as "barbaric." But as he worked his way up through the belt system in jiu-jitsu, began to appreciate "the human chess that MMA is."

He started coaching and cornering fighters, eventually getting into refereeing at the insistence of Manitoba Boxing commissioner Maureen Black who needed another official for a fight card. That led to more and more referee assignments.

Now a certified trainer for judges and referees, Valel teaches MMA courses around the world and is part of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) rules and regulations committee.

Away from officiating, Valel is a business/technology consultant these days. He previously was part of the Manitoba government, most recently deputy minister of economic development, investment and trade. That job ended after the Manitoba election in October.

His resume also includes close to 10