It’s been a little over a year since Mike Beltran has officiated a major promotional fight.
Beltran, 50, had good reason to quietly slip away behind-the-scenes, however. The veteran referee focused on recovery from surgery where over a foot of his colon was removed in an effort to combat diverticulitis, he revealed on social media Friday along with a picture of a gnarly post-surgery wound.
Thursday, Beltran returned to the cage for the first time in 12 months, when he officiated regional event UNF 12 at Academy L.A. in Los Angeles.
“I was a bit rusty last night after being out for a year and very critical of myself. However, the more I’m in there better I will be.” Beltran wrote. “I felt strong and I’m back!!!!! Can I get a ‘hell yeah.'”
Beltran added he’ll make his return to major promotional MMA at Bellator 300 on Oct. 7 in San Diego.
In addition to his extensive work as a combat sports official, Beltran works as a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office detective and served in the United States Marine Corps. In 2022, Beltran was the third-most-used referee for UFC events.
