Daniel Cormier Debates Holly Holm Loss, Judging Criteria: ‘I Don’t Really Understand What I’m Watching’
Former two-weight UFC champion, Daniel Cormier has claimed that he’s unsure how two of three judges managed to score last weekend’s UFC Vegas 55 headliner in favor of Ketlen Vieira – questioning if onlookers just don’t understand the criteria or what they are actually viewing, in fact.
Cormier, who called last weekend’s UFC Vegas 55 action alongside both former lightweight contender, Paul Felder, and play-by-play staple, Jon Anik as part of a commentary booth trio, expressed his confusion as to how Vieira managed to land a split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) win against former bantamweight champion, Holm.
“This is where I don’t really understand what I’m watching in terms of the fight,” Daniel Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “(Eryk) Anders fight, (Holly) Holm fight – both had so much control time against the side of the Octagon that I don’t know how they are losing the fight.”
“And I think probably the most famous instance in which that happened was Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal, the first fight,” Daniel Cormier claimed. “If there is no value in clinch control, then how did Kamaru win that fight so dominantly the first time he fought Masvidal? I’m not saying dominantly in terms of damage, I’m talking so dominantly across the scorecards. Because very few judges scored a round for Jorge Masvidal outside of round one.”
“What they did was give value and give credit to Kamaru Usman for putting Jorge Masvidal in a position that he did not want to go to for extended periods of time. That’s where I think the judging gets f*cked up a little bit.”
Daniel Cormier believes judges are consistently making mistakes in their scoring
Despite overall damage and effective, impactful striking listed as the most valuable means in scoring points on judge’s scorecards as per the criteria, Cormier believes Octagon-side judges are continually making consistent mistakes when it comes to scoring fights.
“But once again, it’s on the judges, “Daniel Cormier said. “Once again, they keep on making these mistakes, I would think? Or we just don’t know what the hell we’re watching. … The Holm fight last night was wrong.”
“Last night was probably the most clear instance in which I felt like I did not know what I’m watching, I guess,” Daniel Cormier explained. “Because I was on the wrong side of two fights that I thought were going one direction, and they didn’t.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)
