Scoring in MMA
The Most Controversial MMA Decisions
Scoring in MMA is often the most controversial topic surrounding fights. Fans and judges can’t seem to agree on this, so let's look at some of MMA’s most controversial decisions starting from close fights to "robberies."
Paddy Pimblett defeats Jared Gordon at UFC 282
Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett burst onto the scene as the next big star in MMA. He was a fan favorite from the get-go. His polarizing personality, combined with three finishes to start his UFC career, catapulted his name into superstardom. The hype was expected to continue at UFC 282 when he took on Jared Gordon in the Pay-Per-View co-main event. However, things went completely awry. Pimblett was outstruck and out-grappled for nearly the entire contest and had no visible avenue to victory. When the fight ended, it looked like a 3-0 shutout for Gordon, but that's not what the judges saw. Instead, Pimblett was given a unanimous decision win, and chaos ensued. Robbery became the #1 word in the MMA community, and fighters and fans alike were left in utter shock. Champions stood up and protested, wondering how a fighter could win yet somehow lose.
Jon Jones defeats Dominick Reyes at UFC 247
Jon Jones has had a few close decisions throughout his career that could have made this list, but none more controversial than this. His final title defense at Light Heavyweight took place against then-undefeated Dominick Reyes. Reyes came on strong, outstriking Jones and denying any attempts to grapple. Jones began to see some success later in the fight as his opponent fatigued, but it was too little, too late - or so fans thought. The judges awarded Jones the unanimous decision win; one even gave him four rounds out of five.
Sean O'Malley defeats Petr Yan at UFC 280
One of the most disputed decisions of all time occurred when Sean O'Malley won a split decision against Petr Yan in Abu Dhabi at UFC 280. O'Malley certainly pushed Yan, but it was not seen as enough to warrant a win. The commentators were in shock. Fighters, fans, and even O'Malley weren't sure what had happened. Yan won every round on the Verdict Scorecard, and the populace agreed. UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov couldn't understand how O'Malley won, swearing he gave all three rounds to Yan.
Jared Cannonier defeats Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 66
This fight was 49-46 on all three scorecards, but it was a split decision. Every round was so close that scoring it 4-1 or even 5-0 to either fighter isn't necessarily wrong. In the end, despite winning 4 of 5 rounds on one scorecard, Strickland lost 4 out of 5 on the other two, and Cannonier was awarded the split decision.
Josh Emmett defeats Calvin Kattar at UFC Austin
Another Fight of The Night and 5-round main event is up. Josh Emmett beat Calvin Kattar by a split decision at UFC Austin last year. Kattar bloodied and bruised Emmett's face over five rounds, while most of Emmett's shots were blocked. Fans were in an uproar at the decision, and cries of robbery echoed throughout the MMA world. However, while the fight seemed close but clear, this could not be called a robbery, as a case was to be made for Emmett's victory.
Mateusz Gamrot defeats Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Vegas 57
This fight was a contender for 202 Fight of The Year and was recognized right away by hardcore fans. Tsarukyan started strong with the striking, and Gamrot came on late with the grappling. However, neither man could impose their skills on the other, and it was as even as a fight gets. In the end, Gamrot was awarded a unanimous 48-47 win, but many fans saw it the other way.
