This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

Episode #620 – Keith Peterson
Release Date: October 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Theo Von sits down with Keith Peterson, famed MMA referee dubbed “Mr. No Nonsense.” Peterson, who’s also a father, musician, and diesel mechanic, shares the path from his hardcore music days and fighting career to becoming one of the sport’s most respected refs. The conversation delves into his personal life—family, tragedies, day job, coaching, and the philosophy of keeping things straightforward in and out of the cage. The exchange is candid, humorous, and at times unexpectedly touching.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin of "No Nonsense" (01:17-02:15)

• Keith Peterson explains his "no nonsense" moniker was given by commentator Jon Anik, going on to describe his philosophy as direct and straightforward.
  • “The no nonsense thing is just, you know, my approach towards things… and it kind of just stuck and I think it fits.”
    (01:30, Keith Peterson)
• Admits there’s a little room for nonsense, especially during holidays and birthdays, but in fighting and work, he stays focused.

2. Life Before Refereeing: Music & Fighting (02:33-05:53, 10:30-18:20)

• Keith grew up in Long Island, NY. Early nickname was "Froggy" because of his raspy voice.
• Fought in amateur MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing—eventually transitioned to reffing when training became too demanding.
• Music has been a huge part of his life:
  • Fronted hardcore bands "GFY" (Go F*** Yourself) and "Loser Sometimes Win."
  • Hardcore scene influenced much of his approach to life and connected him to his wife at a Hatebreed show.
    • “That’s how I met my wife.” (13:47, Keith Peterson)
• Both the intensity of hardcore and MMA are similar: “It’s like, when the pedal is pressed all the way down in a car… there’s that [energy].” (18:20, Interviewer)

3. Early Days of Refereeing & Mental Approach (04:23-10:22)

• Compared learning to ref with brain surgery: “You’re not going to be as good as you’re going to be in ten years, but no one could die.” (04:29, Keith Peterson)
• First realization of responsibility mid-fight: “Oh no, that’s me… I stopped it.” (05:04, Keith Peterson)
• Fighters often plead pre-fight not to be stopped, but, “Usually when they say ‘don’t stop this,’ they end up stopping it… especially when they say, ‘I’m willing to die.’” (06:47, Keith Peterson)
• Emphasizes fighter safety and consistency in applying rules; admits mistakes happen and the key is to own and learn from them.
• Reviews his own reffing performances from every available camera angle.

4. Family, Parenting, & Personal Growth (21:31-28:50)

• Married over 23 years: “The whole… marriage, kids, I love. That’s, you know, my number one thing.” (23:00, Keith Peterson)
• Parenting three children, supporting their diverse interests (music, wrestling, skateboarding): “My goal is to, you know, raise… good people without having to try… but if you shoot for that goal, yeah, it’s good.” (24:14, Keith Peterson)
• Discusses weight loss—cutting junk, running daily: “I just stopped eating horribly and running every day.” (26:52, Keith Peterson)
• Motivated by seeing peers pass away; values health, especially as a parent.

5. On Addiction, Stereotypes, and Tattoos (29:03-31:16)

• Never struggled deeply with addiction, credits wrestling for keeping him focused.
• Discusses misconceptions due to appearance—tattoos, rough voice—“I was wild enough without drugs. It was never attractive.” (29:33, Keith Peterson)
• Got hand and neck tattoos young, no regrets.

6. Sibling Loss & Family Bonds (36:02-41:16)

• Talks openly about recently losing his brother Rob: “He went to hospital on a Tuesday. He died on a Friday. So it was real fast.” (36:10, Keith Peterson)
• Describes their closeness, differences, mutual support, and handling grief.
• “How things work is… bad stuff’s gonna happen… it’s how you handle those moments. I believe… it was handled as perfect as it possibly could.” (37:15, Keith Peterson)

7. Fighting Career & Transition to Ref (41:09-44:01)

• Held amateur MMA belts, fought notable trilogies, including with Jose Villan Nueva.
• Still referees fighters he once faced—a full-circle feeling.

8. Work Outside MMA: Diesel Mechanic Life (45:04-47:04)

• Peterson has worked 28 years as a diesel mechanic for his Long Island town—“union job is awesome…letting me do…stuff that I want to do and branch out.” (45:28, Keith Peterson)
• Taught his kids practical skills—like changing tires.

9. Journey to the UFC (50:23-53:32)

• Got first UFC gig at UFC 101 (2009), Philadelphia—was so excited he forgot how to get inside without a ticket.
• Reffed early fights for future UFC notables, like Paul Felder and Al Iaquinta.
• Finds pride in seeing fighters he reffed at local shows go on to global stages.

10. Philosophy & Challenges of Reffing (54:28-71:44)

• Stresses responsibility for fighter safety: “My main thing is to have them fairly fight and, you know, health… being able to fight again.” (07:46, Keith Peterson)
• Describes the unique pressures and energy inside the cage—fighters like Dustin Poirier and Clay Guida have palpable presence.
• No major difference reffing men vs. women: “I’ve been lucky to get some of the best female fights ever… It’s amazing the level [women] have grown.” (58:16, Keith Peterson)
• Never witnessed a death in the ring; most fouls accidental, not strategic.
• Ref assignments given by commission, not chosen by referees.

11. Coaching & Giving Back (72:46-75:49)

• Passionate about girls’ wrestling—assistant coach for Bayshore girls, runs Empire Girls Wrestling with his daughter, Mora.
• “It’s awesome. And then coaching with my daughter right now is really… She’s very good.” (73:44, Keith Peterson)
• Family unites around wrestling and music—life lessons learned through both.

12. Discipline, Routine, and Work Ethic (75:42-82:12)

• Structured, busy days—mechanic by morning, wrestling coach by night.
• “I like to stay busy, I like to, you know, keep moving. I don’t sit around much.” (76:17, Keith Peterson)
• Finds comfort and confidence in routine—“Discipline equals freedom.” (82:01, Interviewer)

13. Memorable & Unexpected Moments (82:19-85:57)

• Shares wild story about reffing with kidney stones and staple wounds:
  • “So I walk into the bathroom and now I’m feeling pain real bad… I pass it… felt so much better.” (85:04, Keith Peterson)
  • Self-reliance is a recurring theme.

14. Community of MMA & The Referee's Role (86:39–87:32)

• The UFC world feels like “family” behind the scenes, even for a guy who likes to keep to himself.
• Theo expresses gratitude for Keith’s humility and example on and off the mat.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Consistency and Responsibility:
  “You make a mistake, admit it and learn from it and move on.” (08:22, Keith Peterson)

• On Fighter Safety:
  “My main thing… is to have them fairly fight and, you know, health: them leaving and being able to fight again or whatever they want to do again.” (07:46, Keith Peterson)

• On Music, Hardcore and MMA:
  “There IS a connection… with jiu jitsu and hardcore, a lot of guys roll. With the UFC… they knew everything about it. I was pretty surprised but it makes sense.” (18:25, Keith Peterson)

• On Family and Marriage:
  “Marriage, kids, I love. That’s my number one thing… it’s been good. I would… lie [to] say easy, but good. Real good.” (23:00, Keith Peterson)

• On Staying Busy:
  “I don’t sit around much. Never been much of a sit around type of guy.” (76:17, Keith Peterson)

• On Handling Grief:
  “Bad stuff’s gonna happen… it’s how you handle those moments. I believe… it was handled as perfectly as it possibly could.” (37:15, Keith Peterson)

Important Timestamps & Topics

• [01:17] – No Nonsense nickname, approach to life
• [03:14] – Amateur fighting career, transition to referee
• [10:30] – Band life and New York hardcore history
• [13:47] – Meeting his wife at a Hatebreed show
• [21:31] – First date and marriage insights
• [26:52] – Losing weight and health motivators
• [36:02] – Losing his brother Rob, family bonds
• [41:09] – Amateur championship bouts
• [45:04] – Long career as a diesel mechanic
• [50:23] – First UFC event as referee
• [58:16] – Women in MMA and wrestling
• [73:44] – Coaching with Mora, wrestling growth
• [85:04] – Reffing with kidney stones
• [86:39] – Community of MMA, feeling at home in the UFC world

Tone & Style

The episode is relaxed, humorous, and genuine—often pivoting from light-hearted banter and laughs to moving moments about family, loss, and dedication. Theo Von’s style is curious and playful, while Keith Peterson gives thoughtful, direct answers, fitting his “no nonsense” persona, but showing warmth and depth throughout.

Summary for New Listeners

This is a rich, multi-faceted conversation with Keith Peterson that extends well beyond MMA. Listeners get insight into what makes the “no nonsense” ref tick, his love of hardcore music, dedication to family and community, plus hard-earned wisdom from decades around tough people and tough choices. The episode has humor, heart, and a strong reminder that behind every stern ref or tattooed figure, there’s a human story of growth, discipline, and connection.