Should The UFC Have Open Scoring?
Marc Ratner, the UFC’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, opposes open scoring.
The UFC is the biggest MMA brand in the world. However, the sport has come under fire with controversial judging. Two recent decisions come to mind. Mike Bell’s controversial 10-8 scorecard in the Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko fight meant the fight was declared a split draw. The decision caused mass controversy, with many believing that Shevchenko had been deprived of the win, as Grasso kept her flyweight title. Even Dana White was critical of the scorecards, although a trilogy will likely occur.
Ratner Reacts
Sean Strickland’s loss to Dricus Du Plessis also ruffled a few feathers. The South African won via a split decision, but White felt Strickland had done enough to win. The defeat cost Strickland the UFC Middleweight Title, as he never got the rematch. Du Plessis will now fight Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 on August 17. One way to combat these decisions would be to introduce open scoring.
This is when the public is aware of the scorecards after each round. It allows fighters to see if they are behind on the cards, thus allowing for a change of tactics. It also gives fans a take on what judges see, allowing them to scrutinize whether the judging is up to scratch. This increases the judges’ accountability, minimizing any bad decisions. While that may be the case, Ratner is not open to the idea. Fans will be able to see who emerged victorious before the official decision is announced. He was clear that this would diminish the suspense of the event.
“I still do not endorse open scoring. I think that’s a path that I and the UFC, we feel strongly about not having it. So, I’m still an advocate for that. The most exciting part, whether it be boxing or MMA, is after a title fight and we go to a decision, and you’re waiting for Michael or Bruce Buffer to say – you’re sitting in your seat, sitting on the edge saying either ‘new’ or ‘still.’ I would hate to lose that moment,” Ratner said
Should It Happen?
And yet, the open scoring system was tried out at OKTAGON 51. The event occurred on December 29, 2023, in Prague, Czech Republic. The aim was to make the event more inclusive for the audience, who would then get behind their fighter. The atmosphere would also be influenced after each round depending on how the fight is going and whether the home fighter is behind on the cards. However, Ratner also mentioned how the idea did not work in boxing, thus ruling it out.
“We tried it in boxing. We had a 10-round fight. After seven, the guy knew he was winning, he started running. Now we’re talking about a three-round fight. … A three-round fight or a five-round fight, that’s what we do, and if you know your fighter’s ahead after four rounds in a five-round fight, he might get on the ground and hold the guy down if he can. I would tell every cornerman, pretend it’s tied, whatever you think it is, and say you’re losing. It’s up to you now. Get your fighter to fight and not take it for granted. Don’t leave it to the judges. That’s my philosophy there,” Ratner added
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