This is an actual revision to MMA judging criteria, made in 2012

[MD]

Good lord.

Effective Defense removed as a criteria.
1. The committee believes that offensive actions should be the only criteria used to score MMA matches. Offensive fighters are fighters which carry the fight and push the action, and make the fight happen.
2. Defense is its own reward. A fighter who chooses to avoid using defensive actions will invariably suffer the consequences. For example if a fighter decides that they do not want to block or avoid a strike, protect themselves from a submission, or avoid a throw or takedown then they will suffer the results of those offensive actions being used against them. The only role defensive action plays is to keep a fighter in the fight longer so that they can attempt to score using offensive actions.
3. Having two fighters avoid offensive actions and rely solely on defense goes against the basic primary consideration of any combative sport: To score using offense.

Machida stuffing eight of Davis's ten takedown attempts did not qualify as "effective grappling", and scored him no points. He still landed far more damaging strikes and should have won anyway, but still, I would consider this a pretty big issue.

[Noleafclover]

Octagon control

[Catchn_Picks]

Wow...great defensive fighters at a severe disadvantage.

[sideloaded]

1.) Effective Defense removed as a criteria.

2.) Striking and Grappling are now considered to be given equal weight.

3.) The term "damage" will no longer be used as a descriptor when discussing the scoring of a round. It will be replaced by "effective".

Finally, the ABC has clarified and amended the definitions of several terms in the Unified Rules of MMA



1.) "Effective Striking" - Heavier strikes that have a visible impact on the opponent will be given more weight than the number of strikes landed.

2.) "Effective Grappling" - judged by considering the amount of successful executions of a legal takedown, reversals and submission attempts.

3.) "Effective Aggression" - moving forward scoring with a legal technique or attacking from the guard with threatening submissions.

4.) "Cage/Ring Control" - dictating the pace, place and position of the fight.




Regarding scoring:



1. A round is to be scored as a 10-10 Round when both contestants appear to be fighting evenly and neither contestant shows superiority by even a close margin. This score should rarely be used.

2. A round is to be scored as a 10-9 Round when a contestant wins by a close margin, landing the greater number of effective legal strikes, demonstrating effective grappling, and utilizing other effective legal techniques.

3. A round is to be scored as a 10-8 Round when a contestant wins by a large margin, by effective striking and or effective grappling that have great impact on the opponent.

4. A round is to be scored as a 10-7 Round when a contestant totally dominates by effective striking and or effective grappling, which put the opponent in great danger throughout the round. In a 10-7 round referee stoppage may be eminent. This score should rarely be used.

[Luca Fury]

1.) Effective Defense removed as a criteria.

2.) Striking and Grappling are now considered to be given equal weight.

3.) The term "damage" will no longer be used as a descriptor when discussing the scoring of a round. It will be replaced by "effective".

Finally, the ABC has clarified and amended the definitions of several terms in the Unified Rules of MMA



1.) "Effective Striking" - Heavier strikes that have a visible impact on the opponent will be given more weight than the number of strikes landed.

2.) "Effective Grappling" - judged by considering the amount of successful executions of a legal takedown, reversals and submission attempts.

3.) "Effective Aggression" - moving forward scoring with a legal technique or attacking from the guard with threatening submissions.

4.) "Cage/Ring Control" - dictating the pace, place and position of the fight.




Regarding scoring:



1. A round is to be scored as a 10-10 Round when both contestants appear to be fighting evenly and neither contestant shows superiority by even a close margin. This score should rarely be used.

2. A round is to be scored as a 10-9 Round when a contestant wins by a close margin, landing the greater number of effective legal strikes, demonstrating effective grappling, and utilizing other effective legal techniques.

3. A round is to be scored as a 10-8 Round when a contestant wins by a large margin, by effective striking and or effective grappling that have great impact on the opponent.

4. A round is to be scored as a 10-7 Round when a contestant totally dominates by effective striking and or effective grappling, which put the opponent in great danger throughout the round. In a 10-7 round referee stoppage may be eminent. This score should rarely be used.

I honest don't think the judges even have a loose knowledge of these rules. They're all just a bunch of incompetent dummies who probably don't even watch MMA regularly.

At least, I hope that's the case. Otherwise if they actually watch MMA regularly and have a deep understanding of the rules, yet still turn in these atrocious scores, that is even more embarrassing for them.