Story of the Year: Judging in MMA

After careful consideration, the staff of Sherdog.com has decided that the outcry regarding the judging of mixed martial arts contests in the past year was too great to ignore. As such, the contributing editors have agreed that the cluster of questionable decisions, and the ensuing public backlash, was 2010’s “Story of the Year.”

The first blip on the radar came at UFC 112 in April, when lightweight kingpin B.J. Penn put his belt on the line in what was supposed to be a routine title defense against Frankie Edgar. Instead, the heavily-favored “Prodigy” found himself in a competitive match where the speedy Edgar used superior movement to outlast the longtime champion and earn a hard-fought unanimous decision victory....

One of the final decisions of 2010 was also, arguably, the most controversial. In a bout named Sherdog.com’s 2010 “Robbery of the Year,” Leonard Garcia defeated Nam Phan by split decision at “The Ultimate Fighter 12” finale. Both men fought hard, but it was Phan who was more accurate with his strikes, cutting through the windmill offense of Garcia with straight punches and crisp kicks. According to CompuStrike, Phan out-landed Garcia 122 to 66 in total strikes, and connected with 61 power strikes to Garcia’s 39. Still, two of the three judges awarded the fight to Garcia.

Following that contest, UFC commentator Joe Rogan spoke live on air about the state of judging in mixed martial arts, asserting that there were a few good judges surrounded by “a bunch of incompetent morons who know nothing about the sport.” Rogan pinpointed Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer as the man turning a blind eye to a problem in dire need of fixing.

Read entire article: http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles...g-in-MMA-29239