Volkov Flips Byrd Over Gane Screwjob

Nevada judge Adalaide Byrd is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons after swinging a clear win for Volkov to Gane on the main card of UFC 310.

UFC 310 was the second last show of 2024 and we now have a late contender for robbery of the year.

Alexander Volkov was absolutely hosed by the judges in Las Vegas on Saturday night, losing a split decision to Ciryl Gane with two judges giving the Frenchman the 29-28 nod. While the first round was hotly contested, it’s hard to see rounds two or three being given to anyone but Volkov. Unless you happen to be a Nevada judge.

Despite the record number of events being held at the UFC Apex events, Nevada commission judges continue to enter the discussion due to poor scoring. This time it was Junichiro Kamijo and Adalaide Byrd who scored the fight for Gane, and Eric Colon scoring it for Volkov.

Yes, that’s infamous boxing judge Adalaide Byrd, whose terrible scoring has made her a figure of worldwide scorn on more than one occasion. How she keeps getting work in Nevada, we’ll never know. But Alexander Volkov was pretty upset about her scores, considering they cost him the hard-fought rematch.

“I don’t know how it’s possible, this is the fighting capitol of the world,” he said during the UFC 310 post-fight press conference. “I don’t understand how a person that is not professionally learned in this sport can not be re-qualified to judge the sport, or just not be f—ing fired.”

“I don’t know if she works on her judging skills, or she just gives the victory wherever she likes,” Volkov said during the UFC 310 post-fight press conference. “Maybe she liked Ciryl Gane’s body more.”

One small consolation is UFC CEO Dana White agreeing with Volkov. White entered the cage after the bout for a quick talk with the Russian fighter.

“He said I was f—ed by the judges,” Volkov reported.

“I went over to Volkov, I apologized to him,” White confirmed during his time at the press conference table. “I thought he won the fight … [the commission] were making the argument on why the fight was judged the way it was. I had a problem with the [Bryan] Battle fight too.”

That won’t change anything about the official record of the fight, though.

“It doesn’t f—ing matter what I think,” White said. “It really doesn’t. Because at the end of the day, they decide who wins and loses, not us.”

As for Volkov, he plans to appeal the decision even though he knows his chances of success are low. And after giving the good Nevada commission workers their due, he suggested they take care of the clear problems on their team.

“If you’re not professionally fit to fight in the UFC, you’re gonna get fired,” Volkov said. “So this should be the same with everybody else. You know, if you can’t professionally do your job, you shouldn’t do it.”

Considering it’s the same gang of jokers making the same bad decisions every time the UFC returns to Vegas, we doubt that will happen either.