Amir Albazi’s split-decision victory over Kai Kara-France at UFC has sparked controversy and debate among fighters and fans alike. Despite Albazi being awarded the win, many observers believed that Kara-France should have emerged victorious from the bout.
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, among other fighters, expressed their frustration with the judges’ decision. Adesanya criticized the judges in a tweet, expressing his disappointment with their repeated failures to accurately score fights. He emphasized the impact these decisions have on fighters’ lives, their financial well-being, and their families.
“I tweeted that before even seeing the scorecards because I knew them two will f— it up!! Hoooow many times will they rob athletes of their moments of glory, if their money, their livelihood for their family. F—- them c—, they need to expire quickly and go. Mike Bell was the only judge to score this properly, the other two deff need to disappear.”
Adding to the aftermath of the fight, Kara-France appeared on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour show, revealing the financial consequences of the judge’s decision. He stated that the loss cost him a significant amount of money, amounting to $100,000. In addition to the financial setback, Kara-France also expressed his disappointment in losing his ranking. A victory in the fight would have positioned him favorably for a potential matchup against Brandon Royval and an opportunity to contend for the number one contender spot.
“It’s a tough one when you’re looking at it, at my career right now. That cost me 100 grand,” Kara-France said. “That loss cost me my ranking, number three in the world where winning this fight would have just put me right back in with [Brandon] Royval to fight for the number one contender. It puts me right back into where I want to be.”
The incident highlights the importance of accurate judging in combat sports and the potential consequences of controversial decisions. It also underscores the frustrations felt by fighters who believe they have been unfairly judged, impacting their careers, rankings, and financial earnings. The fallout from this fight serves as a reminder of the need for continued efforts to improve the judging process in mixed martial arts.