(Photos by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
With everyone focused on the crowning of a new UFC heavyweight champion, The MMA News contributor Jaclyn Hughes takes a look at the co-main event between Jake Shields and Martin Kampmann. Were the judges scores (28-29, 30-27, 29-28) really indicative of how the fight happened? Let us know what you thought of the fight and the article.
Jake Shields earns a split decision at UFC 121 with fans still debating it
While most Brock fans are still hanging their heads in dismay from last night’s UFC 121 main event, the other fights on the card are still being debated. One for certain under the fan microscope is the Jake Shields match in the welterweight division against Martin Kampmann. Shields fans were anxiously anticipating a great win for Jake for his UFC debut since being signed this past summer, in which he did pull out the victory via spilt decision. Some feel as if the fight could’ve gone either way with the judges, while the others feel Jake should have walked away with a unanimous decision.
While observing the fight, it was obvious the judges would give Jake the first round due to the double take downs he obtained over Kampmann. Whether the fans like it or not, those take downs are getting more points in the judges eyes and will sway them. As far as damage that was committed, Kampmann appeared to hurt Jake more than his groundwork affected Martin. The second round was the gray area apparently, as Jake did obtain side control and two takedowns, but Martin got right out of them and also landed two knees during this round, one of which did result in Shields buckling over quickly in the beginning of the second round. The third however, Shields without a doubt began to run out of gas with Kampmann taking advantage of it by taking Jake down and not permitting Shields to complete the body triangle he was aiming for just before the final bell.
The issue here, which seems to be happening all too often is anytime you leave the fight in the hands of the judges you honestly have a chance of just about any outcome. The scorecards for this fight came in at 29-28 Kampmann, 30-27 Shields and 29-28 Shields. Does anyone know what the second judge was watching to result in a score of 30-27? Judges are not similar to referees in that they generally are not a class of people that train in mixed martial arts, where as some refs do. They are trained to score the fights with a ten point system in place and the majority of the fans think Kampmann won this fight which is most likely why there were so many boos coming from the audience. They didn’t even televise Joe Rogan interviewing Jake just after the fight.
While this match will be the fifteenth straight win for Jake, it gives Kampmann a loss with a 17-4 record. Shields is in the works for a title shot, with rumors it will be as soon as taking the winner of the GSP vs. Koscheck fight. Yet another debate, should Jake be getting this opportunity before Jon Fitch? He does train out of the Caesar Gracie Team and hasn’t lost a fight since 2004. Jake’s acclimated ground game is not the issue, it is that other fighters feel this is there time to get a title shot in the welterweight division and by the middle of December the results will be in if Shields will be competing against Josh or GSP.