Bruce Buffer ignited a full-on uproar at UFC 323, and it only took a few seconds before the scorecards were announced. Fans observed something peculiar during the Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov result announcement: Buffer moved toward referee Jason Herzog and appeared to reveal the outcome before saying it on the mic. And well, a camera angle captured Herzog’s perplexed “huh?” expression, and the internet took care of the rest after getting the result spoiled.

What should have been a thrilling reveal turned into a spoiled ending. The fight was already tense, with Blachowicz fighting smart early, Guskov nearly finishing him with a nasty knockdown in Round 2, and Jan pushing hard in Round 3. All of it was overshadowed by the brief Buffer–Herzog exchange on social media, which left fans feeling robbed of the one final dramatic beat that every close fight deserves.

Fans lose it over Bruce Buffer’s “spoiler” moment at UFC 323

The reactions came in quickly. “Bruce Buffer spoiled the scorecards,” Adam Martin wrote on X. “You could see him tell Jason Herzog it was a draw.” Journalist Jed I. Goodman shared the freeze-frame proof, writing, “You knew it’d be a draw after this.” Fans chimed in: “Buffer forgot the spoiler alert,” one joked. “Why he gotta spoil like that?”

Another pointed out what many saw on replay: “Everyone knew… The ref literally mouthed, ‘draw, draw.'” What was supposed to be a dramatic unveiling instead appeared to be a live-action glitch. And once the outcome was revealed, another conflict broke out—this time about who truly won. A sizable percentage of the fan base supported Jan Blachowicz.

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“Jan robbed again,” one wrote. Another user commented, “S— is rigged asf; Jan CLEARLY won, y’all.” Some cited Guskov’s troubles in the first and third rounds: “Clear 29-28 for Blachowicz.” Others mocked Bogdan Guskov’s big moment slipping away, writing, “Guskov got fraud checked by a 50-year-old man.” The sentiment was clear: many thought the former champion had done enough.

But not everyone saw the robbery. Many fans thought that the majority draw actually made sense. “Draw makes sense, but Jan should’ve won for that last effort,” a user wrote, acknowledging both sides. Others were firmer: “I had it draw as well.” Guskov’s near-finish in Round 2 and Blachowicz’s early and late success resulted in one of those unusual fights in which neither outcome felt perfect, but none felt truly wrong either.

Regardless of which side fans chose, one thing brought them together: Bruce Buffer accidentally stealing the suspense. The fight was close. The stakes were high. The audience was on edge. Then, just before the official call, the most famous voice in MMA seemed to reveal the ending early. It didn’t influence the outcome, but it did change how everyone experienced it. And while he failed to grab an official win, it seems like Blachowicz’s pre-fight ritual did help him be the winner in the eyes of his fans.

Jan Blachowicz’s pre-fight ritual that saved his UFC career

Before the scorecards were spoiled and fans were divided over the outcome, Jan Blachowicz had already relied on something far stranger than judging luck. UFC 323 was more than just another bout for him; it was another effort to stop a downward spiral, another night when he needed every ounce of belief he could muster. And for Blachowicz, that belief has always come from one eerie source.

Years ago, when he was losing fights and on the verge of being cut from the UFC, Blachowicz found a man who’d taken his own life in a forest near his home. A responding officer brought up an old superstition: “When you find a hanged man, take his rope for luck.” Well, Blachowicz kept it. Later, he wore a bracelet made from it. From that point forward, his career took off, with nine wins in ten fights, a knockout of Dominick Reyes, and a world title few expected him to win.

He returned to the same ritual as he entered UFC 323, on a 1-4 skid and fighting to be relevant at 42. While the judges declared it a tie, fans witnessed the most important aspect: a veteran who survived a near-finish, rallied late, and refused to give up. In its own peculiar way, the rope did what it always does for Blachowicz: it kept him in the fight.