"All three crooked judges of Nevada gave the round to Floyd" - Chael Sonnen sheds light on corrupt judging during Conor McGregor's boxing match against Floyd Mayweather
Chael Sonnen has always been known for his incredible mic skills, so it was no surprise when he became an MMA analyst after he retired. Currently, 'The American Gangster' updates his YouTube frequently with segments that feature a combination of facts and opinions on combat sports news.
Watch a classic Chael Sonnen trash-talking moment below:
Sonnen's latest video was about the awful judging in combat sports. He was inspired to rant about the judging after Holly Holm lost a controversial split decision to Ketlen Vieira last Saturday.
During the YouTube video, 'The American Gangster' ended up discussing the questionable scorecards for the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor exhibition boxing match by saying this:
"I remember Conor McGregor fighting Floyd Mayweather and Floyd Mayweather giving the first round away. Not even trying to win it, and all three crooked judges of Nevada gave the round to Floyd."
Questionable judging in MMA continues to be a problem. At UFC Vegas 55, Holm vs. Vieira wasn't the only controversial decision on the card. Eryk Anders vs. Jun Yong Park and Michel Pereira vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio were also subject to questionable judging.
With that said, Sonnen's comparison is invalid, considering all three judges gave McGregor the first round. Nonetheless, MMA judging criteria need to be updated to ensure transparency for all involved.
Watch Chael Sonnen discuss MMA judging below:
Chael Sonnen believes accumulated fight stats are "wildly misleading"
The need for a change in MMA judging is becoming more apparent with every event. One heavily-favored change is open scoring, but the problem is a disconnect between the understanding of the judging criteria.
Fight fans also continue to be misled by the accumulated fight stats. During the same YouTube video, Sonnen had this to say about the accumulated fight stats:
"You could have a fight that went to a decision, where 300 effective strikes were landed by the red corner, and 81 effective strikes were landed by the blue, and the blue wins, without question. How could it be 300 to 81, and you win? Because you're in a ten-point must system. It has nothing to do with the fight. It's an uninteresting piece of data for one, and secondly, it's wildly misleading."
Sonnen makes a good case regarding accumulated stats being misleading. Each round is scored separately, but the main comparison during a questionable decision is the overall stats.
Yet, the red corner could land 200+ punches in one round, lose the next two, and end the fight with better overall stats. Overall, the MMA judging criteria has a long way to go before everyone is on the same page.
Watch Daniel Cormier and Laura Sanko discuss the Holm vs. Vieira judges decision and MMA judging below: