Fixing MMA - Part 2: The Scoring System - Noah Weber's Blog

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Noah Weber's Blog

Fixing MMA - Part 2: The Scoring System Stuck

Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:23 AM.

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(PHOTO CREDIT: cagepotato.com)

Part 2 of our multi-part series on fixing MMA looks at the scoring system and how it can be improved�

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Any fighter will tell you never to let a fight go to the judges. There is a beautiful, if not brutal, objectivity to victory by stoppage. The winner knows he won, the loser knows he lost, and everybody watching can rest assured that the better fighter walks away the victor. Unfortunately, too often fights are not ended decisively, but rather are left in the hands of three judges who are forced to give out a handful of 10�s and 9�s and call it a decision.

The unsatisfying decision is becoming a plague within the MMA world, and is turning epic slugfests into tarnished miscarriages of competitive justice. The current 10 point system, a carry over from the boxing world, is simply not a dynamic enough scoring system to accurately recognize and reward the nuances of such an intricate sport. There are a multitude of other options within the martial arts world for scoring such matches, and it is about time the UFC and other major MMA promotions start experimenting with a more complex scoring system of their own.

Rather than having one comprehensive number for each fighter�s performance in a round, points should be awarded for a variety of accomplishments within the fight. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions, for example, a fighter receives two points for a takedown, three points for passing the guard, four points for achieving mount position, etc. Why can�t a similar system be applied to MMA? Rewarding specific acts of combative success will encourage fighters to work more and be more aggressive, while also making the act of scoring more objective.

So as not to disregard the striking aspect, or to abandon the traditional 10-point scoring system completely, fighters could be awarded a composite score for each round that is compiled from a combination of their 10 point score and a detailed grappling score. This would ensure that all aspects of the game are addressed on the judges� scorecards.

As you ponder this possible switch to a more dynamic scoring system, consider this hypothetical scenario:

Fighter A and Fighter B are set to fight in a heated grudge match. Fighter A won their first contest, and is determined to hold on to his position in the rivalry. Fighter B will stop at nothing to avoid losing again.

The two come out and Fighter A is VERY cautious. He dances around, picks his spots for technical, yet undamaging, counter punches, and inches his way towards a classic victory on points.

Fighter B, on the other hand, is trying like a maniac to really win the fight. He is shooting for takedowns, working to advance position on the ground, attempting submissions, and even obtaining the dominant mount position for a few minutes here and there. By all indications he is the more active, more skilled, and more effective fighter, but his lack of significant strikes in the standup game does not persuade the judges to give him any round and he loses on points.

Under the new system, Fighter B would have received points for his takedowns, guard passes, submission attempts, etc. Perhaps he does lose out slightly on the stand up aspect, but his total dominance and aggression in other aspects of the fight is fully rewarded through the objective points system. When the decision comes up, most people at home have already done the math and know Fighter B has won the fight. No boring dance to a decision, no controversy, and the better fighter goes home victorious.

All indications are that the UFC and other MMA promotions are experimenting with new scoring rules as we speak. Here�s hoping they consider adopting such a system, and soon, so that fight fans are not subjected to many more lame and/or controversial decisions any time soon.

What do YOU think? Should the MMA scoring system be changed? How so?

Noah Weber is a regular blogger for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @gobluenoah