UFC scoring botches: Five times the judges messed up the result
The UFC has long been the world's premier mixed martial arts organization and is well-known for consistently putting forth some of the best MMA bouts between the world's most elite fighters. Nevertheless, even the biggest promotion in the sport isn't immune to unsatisfactory scoring on the part of the official judges from time to time. Some of the scorecards rendered happen to be downright shocking.
For years, the MMA bouts that transpire under the UFC banner have been contested per the Unified Rules of MMA, which has a 10-point-must scoring system. Generally, the fighter who wins a round receives a 10-9 score for it. If a fighter nearly finishes the opponent in a given round, they're usually awarded a 10-8 score for it or a rare 10-7.
Fights are judged based on aggression, grappling, striking, and octagon control (cage generalship). On paper, things might appear relatively straightforward, but it'd be safe to say that scoring an MMA fight is a far more nuanced process in practice.
Some judges prioritize perceived damage such as strikes that inflict cuts, bruises, or draw a significant reaction out of an opponent. Others place volume over damage and reward the fighter who lands the greater number of strikes.
As for grappling, some accord more points to fighters engaging in offensive submission grappling (takedowns, submission attempts, etc.), whereas others score in favor of successful defensive grappling (defending takedowns, staving off submission holds, etc.) In the aftermath of UFC 302 (another event that witnessed a big-time scoring debacle!), we briefly revisit a few notable scoring botches in UFC history.
#5 Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua 1
Heading into the UFC 104 (October 2009) event, Lyoto Machida was the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. 'The Dragon' was undefeated as a professional MMA fighter, feared for his elusive striking style and tremendous takedown defense. He was scheduled to fight MMA great, Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix winner.
With the UFC light heavyweight title at stake, both Machida and Rua exercised an abundance of caution throughout their fight that went the five-round distance. It witnessed Rua utilize kicks to the body and legs against his karateka foe, landing with greater volume and causing noticeable damage. Many felt 'Shogun' would be crowned the new champion and Machida would lose his unbeaten status.
However, the three official judges shockingly scored the fight as a unanimous decision victory for Machida. Judges Marcos Rosales, Nelson Hamilton, and Cecil Peoples all scored it 48-47 for 'The Dragon.' The scoring was lambasted by fans and experts. An immediate rematch ensued at UFC 113 (May 2010), in which Rua beat Machida via first-round KO and won the title.
#4 Georges St-Pierre vs. Johny Hendricks
Leading up to UFC 167 (November 2013), there was widespread speculation that then-UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre would probably be in for a tough fight against an individual who was one of the division's best wrestlers at the time. The challenger in question was Johny Hendricks, who brought exceptional wrestling skills and thunderous knockout power to the table.
The St-Pierre vs. Hendricks fight headlined UFC 167 and saw the American challenger inflict considerable damage in the striking realm and seemingly get the better in the grappling aspect as well. To his credit, 'GSP' fought valiantly, employing his technical striking and relentless wrestling. It seemed like Hendricks was simply better that night and had likely secured a win on the scorecards.
Ultimately, the verdict was a split-decision victory for St-Pierre, who retained his title. Judges Sal D'Amato and Tony Weeks had it 48-47 for 'GSP,' while Judge Glenn Trowbridge scored it 48-47 for Hendricks.
St-Pierre later vacated his welterweight title, took a hiatus from MMA, returned to win the UFC middleweight title in 2017, and then retired. Meanwhile, Hendricks eventually did capture the UFC welterweight title, but then lost it, and was beaten multiple times before his UFC exit.
#3 Paul Felder vs. Rafael dos Anjos
The UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos (November 2020) event pitted Paul Felder against Rafael dos Anjos in a lightweight bout. It marked dos Anjos' return from welterweight to the lightweight division. Dos Anjos, a former UFC lightweight champion, was initially set to fight Islam Makhachev at the event.
However, Makhachev withdrew due to a staph infection just days before the event, and Felder stepped in to face dos Anjos on short notice. While 'The Irish Dragon' exhibited grit and technique despite not having enough time to prepare and cut weight, dos Anjos thoroughly out-struck and out-grappled him in their grueling fight that went the five-round distance.
The verdict surprisingly read as a split decision, but thankfully, dos Anjos was declared the winner. Judges Sal D'Amato and Derek Cleary both had it 50-45 for dos Anjos, while Judge Chris Lee bafflingly scored it 48-47 for Felder.
That fight happened to be Felder's last, after which he retired in 2021, albeit there have been rumors of his potential return. Meanwhile, dos Anjos continued competing at lightweight but recently signaled that he'd moving up to welterweight again.
#2 Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon
Paddy Pimblett made his UFC debut in September 2021 and was viewed by many as one of the top prospects in the UFC lightweight division. However, 'The Baddy's' momentum took a major hit at UFC 282 (Dec. 2022). The UK fighter faced America's Jared Gordon in a three-round lightweight bout at UFC 282. Gordon ended up getting the better of most of their striking and grappling exchanges.
Judges Doug Crosby, Chris Lee, and Ron McCarthy scored the fight 29-28 each; a unanimous decision win for Pimblett. The Pimblett-Gordon scorecards were derided, and there were calls for an immediate rematch. Unfortunately, Pimblett was sidelined by injury issues, and their rematch didn't materialize.
Intriguingly, fan voting data on MMA Decisions indicates that 90.7 percent of over 3,000 fans voted that Gordon should've won, 8.2 percent voted that Pimblett should've won, and 1.1 percent voted that the fight should've been a draw. Speaking of 'The Baddy,' his next octagon appearance, which is also his most recent, saw him beat Tony Ferguson via unanimous decision in Dec. 2023.
On the other hand, after the Pimblett matchup, Gordon fought Bobby Green to an NC (No Contest) in April 2023. 'Flash' most recently bested Mark Madsen via first-round TKO in Nov. 2023.
#1 UFC 302: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
The UFC 302 (June 1, 2024) fight card was co-headlined by a five-round middleweight bout with potential title implications, as former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland took on Paulo Costa. By the time the final buzzer sounded, marking the end of the fifth and final round, it looked as though Strickland had done enough to secure the victory on the judges' scorecards.
Well, 'Tarzan' did win, but not without a major scare while the verdict was being read. What many believe ought to have been a clear-cut unanimous decision victory for Strickland ended up being a split decision win for him, as Judge Dave Tirelli scored it 49-46 for Costa. Thankfully, Judge Sal D'Amato had it 49-46 and Judge Chris Lee had it 50-45 for Strickland.
In the event's aftermath, Tirelli was criticized for his scorecard. Many MMA personalities, including UFC CEO Dana White, were livid. White went as far as suggesting that the judge had better go back to smaller MMA organizations and work on his craft before being allowed to score such high-profile MMA fights.