Are UFC Judges Biased?

Question

It seems that after every UFC event this year, there is controversy about the judges' scorecards on more than one fight. This month, Juliana Pena beat Raquel Pennington for the Women's Bantamweight title in a split decision win. 2 out of 3 judges scored it in favor of Pena. The media scored the fight overwhelmingly for Pennington, with 25/26 of the MMA Decisions scorecards giving the fight to Pennington.

Comments

"After every UFC event this year, there is controversy about the judges' scorecards on more than one fight.": This point seems exaggerated. While there have certainly been controversial decisions, saying it happens after every UFC event is likely an overstatement. Not every card has highly disputed decisions. A more nuanced claim might focus on the high-profile controversial decisions or specific events where this has been an issue, instead of making such a blanket statement. It would be better to look at specific data across events before making such a broad assertion.

Answer 1

I think what you're getting at here is correct. Although I don't believe judges are conscience-biased on an agenda. I would say it is just human nature to be subconsciously biased. However, in the fighting landscape, I do believe corruption exists where judges make decisions based on favors or money. This is a rare exception for most fights and needles in a haystack in the UFC.

https://www.augustusjohnroe.com/fighting-fair-a-case-study-of-judge-bias-in-mixed-martial-arts/#:~:text=While%20judging%20bias%20has%20long,over%20grappling%20by%20judging%20panels.

Answer 2

I agree with your points. The controversies over UFC judges' scorecards, like in the Pena vs. Pennington fight, show there’s a problem. The big difference between how the judges scored it and how the media saw it makes you wonder about the judging system. I also understand that the judges have to make their decisions in real-time and they don't get to see the highlights and replays we get to see as the audience.