About
Marc Goddard has been involved in the MMA scene from its early inception in the UK. A former MMA & Submission Grappling competitor and successful coach, then moving into the officiating side of the sport in 2004. Calling upon his years of direct experience and his passion for the sport of MMA coupled with unparalleled attention to detail quickly led for him to become the referee of choice for many of the UK’s leading domestic promotions.
In 2008 he became the first ever UK Referee to be appointed for the UFC and quickly followed this up by being the first ever UK MMA Referee to be licensed and sanctioned to Referee in the USA in multiple States including the fight capital of the World Las Vegas Nevada. He has travelled and officiated in all Continents having worked in some 40 countries Worldwide and can be seen taking charge of some the biggest fights around the Globe for multiple promotions and organisations including UFC World Championship Contests.
A long-time ambassador for competitor safety in MMA, he became renowned for establishing the definitive certified MMA Referees and Judges Course in Europe and since taking and developing it on a Global scale. As one of the founding members of the now registered charity "Safe MMA" medical project in 2012 he then went on to become one of the charity's trustees. He is a current member of the Technical Committee for the United States Association of Boxing Commissions, overseeing and helping shape the continuation and evolution of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
As a former Director of Regulatory Affairs for the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) he was pivotal in a historical role that saw him develop a single unified amateur rule set, recruit and train a global talent pool of certified officials and offer a hands on consultative approach to both achieve and maintain the highest standards of regulation. In 2019 he founded the English Mixed Martial Arts Association [EMMAA] and remains the Honorary Chairman. His commitment, integrity and history within mixed martial arts is rarely matched.