Judging Controversy: Analyzing a Disputed Decision in a Title Fight

Every boxer dreams of earning a UFC title fight at least once in his career. That’s because it’s their ultimate chance to showcase their skills and become the greatest fighter of their time. In fact, winning the UFC title comes with a lot of perks, such as getting extra bucks from the PPV sales. However, one can only have a smooth winning streak when there is a submission or knockout on the cards, which isn’t always possible.

That’s when a judge is required. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that being a UFC judge is a daunting task because well-matched foes can put up a great game that’s hard to judge. Having said that, the judges are often a subject of controversy (it’s actually quite common now). So, if you want to serve your memory, we are sharing the most popular judging controversies in the history of UFC!

Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham

This is from the UFC 119, and it actually created a fiasco like never before. Both of them put up a great fight, but Dunham was fighting for his life. That’s because whenever he created a bit of distance, Sherk would use his combination techniques to hurt Dunham (it happened multiple times, FYI). The controversy was that the judges were impressed by Sherk and gave him scores.

The only thing that they didn’t let slide was the elbow that put Dunham against the cage, but they didn’t give any warning to Sherk after that. While the judges might have given controversial results, the audience boomed him throughout the interview.

Randy Couture vs. Pedro Rizzo

It’s needless to say that good fights are entertaining, but so are controversies. This fight from UFC 31 is one of the most entertaining controversy out there. It might sound strange, but the majority of people saw the black-and-white picture. The first and second rounds were split, but the fight’s score usually depended on your own bias.

Couture won the first, third, and fourth rounds, and it seemed like a set of The Natural. However, to date, everyone has a different approach to the scores.

Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill

This match happened in London during UFC 75 event, and it’s widely used as an example for hometown judging. Honestly, many people were furious at first, but after a few years, the judgment didn’t seem so bad. The second and third rounds always decide who will get the nod, and Hamill managed to secure the first one as he went all out for five minutes.

The second round was all about slow pacing by Hamill, and it was actually the final round that required work from the judges. Hamill actually dominated this round, but Bisping also scored on his feet. As a result, the crowd started booing as soon as the judges read the decision. Honestly, it was a close call.

Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz

If you are a true UFC fan, it’s needless to say that UFC 143 was pretty famous, and everyone remembers what happened. As per the game, Diaz managed to press action for five rounds, and Condit ended up creating offense from the back foot. The statistics show that Diaz was outstruck by Condit, but his strikes were always more effective.

According to the critics of Condit, he didn’t do much damage to Diaz and also indulged in point-fighting. On the other hand, his fans loved his game and were impressed by the game plan.

Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall

This was the first flyweight fight in the history of UFC, which was actually a part of the four-person tournament. If you are wondering what the controversy was, it’s that the fight wasn’t caused by a bad decision. The fight was up for reasonable scoring, and the controversy arose when there was a significant tallying mistake (it was corrected, don’t worry).

According to the previous decision, Johnson won the fight, but the judges later said it was a tie. In simpler words, a minor math mistake was the reason the audience couldn’t enjoy the 4^th round.

BJ Penn vs. Frankie Edgar

This fight happened at UFC 112, and it was for the lightweight title. This fight was meant to be a blowout because no one believed that Edgar could take down the crown that was worn by Penn. The rounds were close, and Penn was all about landing the heavy shots. On the other hand, Edgar managed to stay out of range by ducking in, so he scored a few combinations.

Many people still believe that Edgar was playing for points and Penn was more aggressive. If you are still waiting for the controversy, it was about how the judge ended up scoring each round for Edgar.

Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns

This was one of the most intense fights in boxing history because Leonard went to the ground twice, and almost laid him out in the 7^th round. However, he managed to return the fight, and wobbled Hearns in the 5^th round. They managed to put up a wild fight till the 12^th round because they wanted a knockout.

According to this fight, this was a draw, but one of the judges gave two points to Leonard in the 12^th round, thus giving him an advantage. This decision was controversial because he didn’t land a knockdown during the fight.

Joe Louis vs. Jersey Joe Walcott

This was back in 1947, but the fans still cannot forget how bad the decision was. In this fight, Louis lost the first and fourth rounds and seemed to play catch-up the entire time. Walcott had an unconventional style, which is why he struggled to launch an attack. Louis managed to bring some pressure in the later rounds, but he became frustrated as well.

However, the scores came in favor of Louis, and the audience booed him because Walcott should’ve been a winner.