Issue 189

April 2020

Controversy around the Jones-Reyes bout at UFC 247 has put scoring in the spotlight.

We’ve all seen the routine when fighters look to con the judges by raising their own hands in victory at the end of the contest, but Dominick Reyes’ gesture at the conclusion of his UFC 247 light heavyweight title bout with Jon Jones was different. Despite Jones coming back strongly in the championship rounds, Reyes genuinely felt he had won – and the crowd agreed. The unanimous decision in favor of Jones was made all the more debatable by one of the judges – Joe Soliz – scoring it a scarcely credible 4-1 for Jones. This month will see Invicta trialing open scoring – where judges’ cards are shared with the corner and broadcaster at the end of each round. Whether it will bring greater transparency only time will tell, but scoring will always be controversial. This fight was close and Jones is controversial, making for a perfect storm of post-fight discontent, but there will never be a flawless system.