Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski and 4 of the most controversial UFC decisions of the year so far
The UFC has had a memorable 2023, thus far. With several more months remaining in the year, the promotion is sure to enjoy even greater highs than what it already has. However, as is the case with every year, the UFC has had its fair share of controversies this year.
Whether it's Conor McGregor's latest brushes with the law bringing negative attention to the promotion, or the Irishman's refusal to reenter the USADA drug-testing pool, the UFC has dealt with several headaches. Among them, however, are the controversial judges' decisions in some of its most high-profile fights.
With social media becoming increasingly more common, more and more people air their fight-related grievances whenever a bout ends with a decision that many in the MMA community disagree with. This has been the case in 2023, and these are five examples of controversial decisions in the year, thus far.
#5. Maycee Barber vs. Andrea Lee, UFC on ESPN 43
Maycee Barber represents the best of the rest in the women's flyweight top 10. She has found herself taking part in questionable decision wins more often than she'd probably like, with one of her most controversial wins being her first win of 2023, when she took on Andrea Lee.
At UFC on ESPN 43, the two women locked horns in a bout of two tales. Lee scored several takedowns and racked up control time. Meanwhile, Barber outlanded her on the feet and even on the ground. The fight was close, with some proposing a draw, but there was a split in the MMA community over who won.
However, once the scorecards were read, many had assumed that the win would go Andrea Lee's way. Instead, Maycee Barber was awarded a 30-27 split decision, which left many fans scratching their heads.
#4. Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann 2, UFC Fight Night 225
The feud between Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann is one that's largely flown under the radar of the casual fanbase, but the two men have had enmity since their 2021 clash, which 'Lionheart' won via first-round submission. Naturally, Spann wanted to even the score with a win of his own.
The two faced off in a bout at UFC Fight Night 225 that ended up being more competitive than expected. While Smith dominated the first round by repeatedly low-kicking Spann out of his stance, landing big shots, and even securing top-mount at one point, round two was a different story.
Spann blasted Smith's eye with a left hook that left it almost swollen shut. He also got the fight to the ground and nearly snatched a guillotine choke. Heading into round three, the fight was two rounds apiece, but neither man did much to steal the round.
Nevertheless, 'Lionheart' was awarded the win, sparking a debate on the MMA Twitter scene about the outcome being a potential robbery.
#3. Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo, UFC 288
Henry Cejudo's long-awaited return to competition took place at UFC 288, where he looked to reclaim his bantamweight title against one of the division's greatest-ever fighters, Aljamain Sterling. The two men had a highly competitive bout, with both scoring takedowns and landing meaningful strikes.
Towards the end of the fight, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly who had won, but controversial MMA judge Derek Cleary, who previously awarded Joseph Benavidez a contentious split-decision win over 'Triple C,' scored the bout in favor of Aljamain Sterling, causing an uproar on social media.
In the post-fight press conference, Cejudo expressed his belief that he had done enough to win the fight and entertained the idea that he may have been the victim of a judge who seems to have something against him.
#2. Amir Albazi vs. Kai Kara-France, UFC on ESPN 46
In a bout designed to potentially identify a future title contender, flyweight elites Amir Albazi and Kai Kara-France faced off at UFC on ESPN 46. 'The Prince' came into the fight with a 16-1 record and a five-fight win streak. Meanwhile, 'Don't Blink' was in desperate need of a win after being finished by Brandon Moreno.
The bout saw Albazi initially fail to score any takedowns as Kara-France defended them well while outworking his foe. However, Albazi wasn't a sitting duck and instead opted to counter and snipe the New Zealander every time he came forward to try and impose himself.
This was the dynamic of the fight until round three when Albazi took his foe down and sunk in a rear-naked choke. Unfortunately, for him, he didn't have the proper angle for the choke and Kara-France escaped, before reversing his position to find himself in his opponent's guard, where he landed ground-and-pound.
As the fight wore on, he upped his workrate, while Albazi countered him coming in. After five rounds, most of the MMA community was confident that Kara-France had won, so it's understandable that everyone, including Israel Adesanya, decried the decision as a robbery when Amir Albazi was handed the win.
#1. Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski, UFC 284
Alexander Volkanovski's quest for two-division immortality in MMA came close to fruition at UFC 284. The featherweight kingpin took on lightweight juggernaut Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound belt. It was one of the best fights of the year, thus far, with both men displaying the full breadth of their respective skills.
Makhachev proved to be a better striker than everyone expected, dropping Volkanovski to a knee, and scoring takedowns at pivotal moments. Meanwhile, Volkanovski proved to be a better grappler than everyone thought, neutralizing his foe's offensive grappling and even briefly scoring a trip takedown.
Towards the end of the bout, Makhachev fatigued, and 'The Great' continued pressing the action, even scoring a knockdown, which allowed him to get on top of Makhachev and land ground-and-pound to close out the fight. In the end, many, including Joe Rogan and Bryce Mitchell had Alexander Volkanovski winning.
But when Makhachev's hand was raised in victory, the MMA world was divided, with many asserting, to this day, that Volkanovski was robbed of a win.