feature-image

Imago

feature-image

Imago

Sean Brady shocked the world with one of the biggest upsets of the last week, not only defeating Leon Edwards but utterly dominating the former welterweight champion. In a relentless display of superior wrestling and grappling, Brady overwhelmed Edwards, becoming the first man ever to finish him. Interestingly, UFC London lacked a single knockout across the card, yet the main event delivered a spectacle like no other. However, the fight hasn’t escaped controversy, with heated debates igniting over the judges’ decisions and the broader scoring system in MMA.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

For those who missed the fight, it was a complete domination by Sean Brady. Leon Edwards was outclassed by the American. None of ‘Rocky’s weapons worked against Brady, as the American took him into deep waters. Kicks, punches, forward pressure, and a strong wrestling offense — Brady maintained his pace and dominated the former champion from start to finish.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the end of the fourth round, the Philadelphia native put so much pressure on the Birmingham-based Jamaican fighter, that the latter did something uncanny. Leon Edwards shot at takedown that was immediately stuffed by Sean Brady who submitted the former champion by way of guillotine. However, what caught the attention of everyone within the community was the fact that despite the dominant performance none of the judges scored the card 10-8 in Brady’s favour.

article-image

Imago

All three judges scored all the three rounds 10-9, which is concerning. For the unversed, a 10-9 score by any of the judges basically means that the fight was competitive and it was a close competition between the fighters. However, a 10-8 scorecard by the judges means that the opponent was overwhelmed and judges usually give a 10-8 score when one fighter overwhelmingly dominates the other.

ADVERTISEMENT

It must be noted that Leon Edwards didn’t even have any control time in the second round. Brady outstruck, outwrestled, and out-grappled Edwards at UFC London but despite that, he didn’t get the scores that he deserved. It should be noted that this is not the first time UFC judges have made scoring mistakes. Remember Alexander Volvo vs. Ciryl Gane, and how utterly lopsided and borderline bizarre the results of that bout were? And what do fans think about this?

ADVERTISEMENT

Fans call out Dana White for subpar judging in Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady

Who judged the UFC London Fight Night event, you might want to know? Well, the main fight of the UFC London was judged by Clemens Werner, Ben Cartlidge, and Chris Lee. One thing to note is that all three judges scored each of the three rounds 10-9, despite Brady’s clear dominance. At this a social media user wrote, “Honestly kinda stupid that a 10-9 round can range from complete domination for all 5 minutes of a round to a swing round that could go either way”

ADVERTISEMENT

After a successful first round, Sean Brady kept his pace and made sure that Edwards didn’t gather any momentum in the second round. A fan wrote, “Damage is king. I still thought rd 2 was 10-8 tho. Leon literally landed 0 strikes and was controlled for the UFC record of 4:57 out of 5 minutes.”

A frustrated fan wrote, “This is the reason we need these judges tested and examined.”  Well, they do go through a process of examinations and skills evaluation but still, they make some serious mistakes that are irreversible. Back at UFC 310, a judge scored the card so horribly that despite edging past Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov had to concede defeat by way of a split decision.

ADVERTISEMENT

After a fair share of criticism, a social media user came forward to explain why the fight was not given a  10-8 score, “He barely did any damage. Holding someone on the ground for the round doesn’t give you a 10-8” Furthermore, another agitated fan called out for a change, “Both the judging system and the judges are f—–, s— needs to be changed”

Last but not least, a social media user asserted that the Renato Moicano vs. Benoit Saint-Denis fight should have actually been given a 10-8 score, considering the significant damage the Brazilian inflicted on the Frenchman, “10-9 is fair. What Moicano did to BSD and use that as a standard for 10-8, yeah 10-9 fair.”

ADVERTISEMENT

With back-to-back judging errors, will the UFC take any strict decision against the judges or will it continue till they are replaced with AI? State your thoughts in the comments below.

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Suryakant Das

3,440 Articles

Suryakant Das is a senior writer who leads UFC live coverage at EssentiallySports, known for his broad expertise and standout professionalism in MMA journalism. Over two years in the field, he has become a key voice on real-time event updates, pre- and post-fight interviews, and analysis of viral moments from the Joe Rogan Experience. His dynamic reporting is backed by selection to the Journalistic Excellence Program, which hones advanced editorial skills and strategic coverage approaches for top talent. Suryakant’s career is defined by his ability to deliver both speed and depth. His versatile background spans sports journalism, content writing, and editorial roles, helping him navigate fast-paced live coverage and deliver meaningful stories with clarity and precision. Recognition from respected MMA figures such as Nina-Marie Daniele and Hall of Famer Michael Bisping further marks him as a trusted authority in the UFC community.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Syed Rahil Ahmed

ADVERTISEMENT