Losing sucks, but it’s also expensive, which is why judges need to get it right.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White blew a gasket after the Roman Dolidze vs. John Allan fight on the UFC Vegas 16 preliminary card last weekend at APEX, which ended in split decision in favor of Dolidze.
The fight wasn’t close by any means, but veteran mixed martial arts (MMA) judge Chris Lee turned in a 29-28 scorecard for Allan. Judges Mike Bell and Dave Hagen, meanwhile, both scored it for Dolidze (30-27 and 29-28).
“I don’t know how that guy could score that fight that way,” White said (via MMA Fighting). “A 51-year-old woman that I went to school with in kindergarten texted me tonight and [said], ‘I don’t know shit about fights, but who judged that fight?’ I swear to god, that’s the truth. That’s how scary that is.”
Referees and judges for Las Vegas fight cards are selected by Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and will sometimes draw an official protest from UFC fighters.
According to MMADecisions.com, Lee has been the dissenting judge in eight fights for UFC and Bellator in 2020. He also scored the bout in favor of Paul Felder in “The Irish Dragon’s” split-decision loss to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Vegas 14 last month in “Sin City.”
Even Felder was adamant he lost the fight.
“It’s not good,” White continued. “It’s something the commission needs to stay on top of, and they need to single out and call out people that continually make bad calls. They’re going to fuck somebody’s life up. They really are.”
For more results and fallout from UFC Vegas 16 click here.