Judging controversies and MMA, name a more iconic duo. UFC 313 was supposed to be about elite fighters showcasing their skills, but instead, the spotlight fell squarely on the judges and their baffling scorecards. While people were debating the outcome of Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev, the real head-scratcher came from a prelim fight. Unexpected? Yes. But enough to leave Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier looking like they just watched someone try to armbar a ghost.

And now, the man at the center of it all, Mairon Santos, has stepped forward with an admission that we weren’t ready for. In a move about as rare as a Diaz brother saying ‘thank you,’ Santos actually admitted he may not have deserved the win. Yes, you read that right. In a recent chat with Inside Fighting, the Brazilian laid it all out. “Yeah man, I rewatched the fight. And I don’t know how people gonna receive that, but when the fight ended, I thought, okay, I won. But after rewatching the fight, I think he should have had his hand raised.”

At this point, even the judges must be second-guessing themselves (or maybe not, who knows how that process works?). The decision saw ‘The Legend’ take a split-decision win over Francis Marshall, a verdict that left fans fuming. How bad was it?

Well, the longtime commentator, Jon Anik, labeled the decision “trash.” Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan? Right there with him, looking like he just witnessed a flat-earth debate. And as expected, the media outlets weren’t any more forgiving. Verdict MMA posted, “Marshall won every round on the Verdict Scorecard.” And yet, somehow, two judges saw things differently. Because, of course, they did.

So, let’s break this down real quick? ‘Fire’ Marshall came in with a clear game plan. Punch Santos in the face, chop him down with leg kicks, and when in doubt, take him for a ride. And guess what? He executed it to near perfection. Round one? Marshall drops the Brazilian. And in round two, Marshall outstrikes Santos. And by the third round, the American secures a takedown and controls the fight. So naturally, the judges gave the fight to, Santos? But this isn’t the first time a UFC event has been hijacked by terrible judging. The Santos-Marshall fight just joined an ever-growing list of MMA robberies. But, is there anything that can be done about all this?

Is Joe Rogan and the others shouting into the void?

Dana White loves a good rant about bad judging. He has repeatedly voiced his frustration, calling some decisions “atrocious.” But can he actually do anything about it? Technically, no. The UFC doesn’t control the judges. That honor belongs to state athletic commissions, a group known for their, ‘consistency.’

But guess who is doing something? Rose Gracie. That’s right, Brazil’s MMA scene just got a major shake-up thanks to the newly appointed president of the Brazilian MMA Confederation (CBMMAD). Her first order of business? Making sure judges actually know what they’re watching. Crazy concept, right? CBMMAD now requires all referees and judges to have formal training in combat sports. No more clueless pencil-pushers deciding careers on a whim. If Brazil can clean up its act, why can’t the UFC? Could we finally see open scoring, where fighters and fans see scorecards live between rounds? Would more accountability help? Or are we in for more fights where the winner looks as confused as the loser?

Mairon Santos may have walked away with a ‘W’, but even he knows it’s got an asterisk bigger than Jon Jones’ USADA file. And if the UFC doesn’t address its judging problem soon, we’ll be back here again at UFC 400, shaking our heads and wondering if judges are just picking winners by coin flip. So, what do you think? Should the UFC boss push for change, or should we all just accept MMA judging as an ‘it is what it is’ scenario? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!