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Report: Nevada commission appoints ref, judges for UFC 219 main event

Gary A. Vasquez / USA TODAY Sports

UFC 219's headliner is in Herb Dean's hands.

The longtime referee will be the third person in the Octagon when Cris Cyborg defends her featherweight crown against Holly Holm on Dec. 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Nevada State Athletic Commission unanimously voted for Dean to ref the bout Tuesday, MMAjunkie's Steven Marrocco reports.

Derek Cleary, Dave Hagen, and Chris Lee will reportedly serve as the cageside judges.

Cyborg will make her first defense of the crown after stopping Tonya Evinger within three rounds to claim it at UFC 214 in July, while Holm - an ex-bantamweight titleholder - aims to become the promotion's first female two-division champion.

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