Issue 118

August 2014

This is your page to tell us what you think of all things Fighters Only and MMA. Get your feelings off your chest where it really matters – in print! Send us your best pictures with your favorite fighters, or copies of FO, and we’ll print them too. 

 JUDGING MADE EASY

I do enjoy reading the features in FO and found the recent ‘Who Are We To Judge?’ article in the June issue hugely interesting and likely to generate much debate among readers.

Scoring in MMA has always been massively controversial and despite many expert opinions and suggestions we still haven’t got it right after 21 years of the UFC leading the way.

To me the solution is very simple. Boxing has flourished under the 10-point-must system for decades and the only area MMA differs from boxing, scoring wise, is in the ground game. MMA consists of combatants testing their skills in two areas only, the stand-up and the ground game. These are the only two areas where the judging criteria should apply. 

Who landed the most accumulative and significant strikes in that particular round, and who was the most dominant/skilled tactician on the ground? These are questions that any genuine fan with a basic understanding of the sport can answer. 

I am not a trained judge, but I have watched every single UFC event since the very first one, and like many keen fans of the sport I think I can recognize a good decision from a poor one. 

I think much confusion arises from a clear conflict between the scoring criteria of aggression/Octagon control and striking/grappling. Take the Yves Jabouin vs. Dustin Pague bout referred to in your article as an example. 

Much of the fight took place on the ground, with Pague being the much better technician with numerous very close submission attempts. Jabouin received a controversial decision, I assume due to the fact he spent much of the fight in top position, undertaking ground ‘n’ pound on his opponent. 

He won the fight on the scoring criteria of aggression and Octagon control, but surely this is in conflict with Pagues’ ground control? 

The same applies to fighters who take the center of the Octagon and force the pace, constantly advancing, despite the obvious superiority of the gifted counterpuncher (see Wanderlei Silva vs. Michael Bisping).

The article also presented a case for 10-6 and 10-7 rounds; but I don’t think this is appropriate for three and five-round fights. If a fight is so one-sided as to merit such a wide score in a round, it should be stopped. 

Finally, why are judges so hesitant to call a round even? What is so wrong with two combatants being so evenly matched that they fight each other to a standstill?

MMA scoring needs to be simpler to understand, and judging decisions transparent to the fans. The 10-point-must system would work in MMA if the criteria applies to groundwork and stand-up only and consisted of 10-10 for an evenly contested round, 10-9 where a fighter has a slight to clear advantage, and 10-8 for a dominant round.

Steve Reed, via email

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FIGHT TWEETS

@chris_pilgrim

Another good @FightersOnly edition this month! Particularly enjoyed @Peety_Editor article about the growth of the sport and brand 

@MikeyRicci

@Benaskren behave yourself. If I ever decide to fight the most boring man in MMA I’ll give you a call

@GeorgesStPierre 

Tried to check out Berlin nightlife but got rejected at door & stuck in rain. Had flashback of my past lol...

@TimKennedyMMA

I have decided to leave the @GJfightmaster / @mmacoachwink fight camp and train exclusively under the tutelage of Steven Seagal. 

@illwillbrooks86

I honestly couldn’t care less about what Bellator does next. I’ll be here getting better and ready to fight anyone anytime. #anyonecangetit

@MaxCotton1988:

Awesome face punch shot in this month’s @FightersOnly