"It puts a ton of pressure on the athlete" - Jon Anik and Ariel Helwani have varied opinions about open scoring system

Ariel Helwani (left), Jon Anik (right) [Images courtesy: MMAFightingonSBN and Anik & Florian Podcast on YouTube]

Jon Anik and Ariel Helwani recently weigned the potential advantages and drawbacks of employing an open scoring system in MMA.

Ariel Helwani, who has always been in favor of open scoring, cited the importance of having the system in place, especially for fighters in high stakes match-ups.

Anik, meanwhile, presented an opposing view, suggesting that it would put some serious pressure on the fighters who are down on the scorecards. You can check out their conversation below:

At this point I can’t honestly think of one good reason why every fighter on the planet, but in particular the ones fighting with so much at stake, wouldn’t want open scoring.

@arielhelwani I’m starting to come around. I just think it puts a ton of pressure on the athlete, when the crowd knows you’re down in the final round and they destroy you b/c you are fatigued or can’t pull the trigger for whatever reason, despite that you’re trailing. I love this convo.

@Jon_Anik I get it. I just feel, at the end of the day, the fighters deserve to know where they stand. There’s also the drawback of thinking you won a round, seeing the score flash, getting mad and losing your composure. But I want them to have has much info as possible. Least they can get

Open scoring remains one of the most hotly discussed topics in the world of MMA. If introduced, it will reveal how each judge has scored a bout after the end of every round, thus allowing corners to make the necessary adjustments and changes in strategy for further rounds.

A number of UFC fighters have called for open scoring over the years, including Max Holloway and Stephen Thompson.

Ariel Helwani insists Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson on TUF would be a smart move by UFC

Despite several efforts by the UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov maintains his stance on staying retired from the sport. However, 'The Eagle' has expressed interest in the idea of coaching on The Ultimate Fighter opposite Tony Ferguson.

Ariel Helwani suggests that having Nurmagomedov feature as a TUF coach opposite Ferguson would be a smart move on the UFC's part, considering there's no longer any hope of the two colliding inside the octagon. Speaking on the episode of On The Nose, Helwani said:

"At this point, I’ll give it a ten [on a scale of 0-10]. I mean, if they were smart, they would do it. You know, squeeze some juice out of Khabib. Why not? If he's not gonna fight, put him in there. Hey, if we can’t get Khabib and Tony fighting, let’s get them doing some sort of fugazi coaches' challenge. Let's have them play ping-pong against each other or climb a freaking wall, a rock climbing wall."

Watch the full episode of On The Nose below:

The UFC has tried to make Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson on five separate occasions over the last decade. However, the fight fell through for one reason or another every single time.