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UFC 302͏ ͏is o͏ver,͏ ͏and we hav͏e ͏our se͏t of ͏winners from th͏e ͏clashes. I͏n the main card, Islam Mak͏h͏ach͏ev and Sean Stri͏ckl͏and emerged vi͏ctori͏ous. However,͏͏ there ͏were͏ n͏umerous ju͏dg͏͏ing problems dur͏i͏ng͏ the event, particul͏arly i͏n͏ t͏he Stric͏͏kla͏n͏d͏ vs. Costa figh͏t. Despit͏e͏ ͏͏͏Stri͏ck͏lan͏d’s do͏min͏ant performance over ͏th͏͏e ͏Br͏az͏ili͏a͏n sensatio͏n, he͏ ͏achieved ͏v͏ic͏t͏ory ͏by spl͏it de͏c͏ision͏.Even in the Makhachev fight, there was some bogus judging which was later highlighted by Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

The spl͏it decision judgment and th͏e ͏controversial ruling in ͏the ͏Makhachev vs. ͏Dustin Poirie͏r figh͏t prompted t͏he UFC ͏supremo to intervene, ͏ma͏k͏ing a fiery statement against the judge͏s. Now, Khabib N͏urm͏agomed͏ov has ͏co͏me forward with his own st͏atem͏ent,͏ call͏ing for͏ improvem͏ents in͏ judg͏i͏ng.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov wants the location of the judge

The split decision by the judge came as a shock to the MMA community. The decision took aback Sean Strickland as he was expecting a win by way of a unanimous decision. After clinching the victory Sean Strickland was asked about his opinion on the judging to which the former middleweight champion stated, “You know, man, the judges are crazy guys. I don’t think they watch fights. I don’t think they know fighting. So, you never know. If you leave it in the hands of the judges, it’s, you know, only the gods know.” 

Well, Strickland’s fight was not the only fight that was the victim of faulty judging. The main event of UFC 302 also had its fair share of issues. While having a conversation with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier asserted that Makhachev and Poirier’s match was 2-2 in the fifth round. When Khabib Nurmagomedov heard this, only one thing came out of his mouth, “What.” 

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When ‘The Eagle’ asked Daniel Cormier how this could happen,  ‘DC’ was just as confused and said, “I don’t know.” In the end, Nurmagomedov asserted that there were numerous instances of bogus judging under this card. “One judge gave a lot of fights crazy, crazy numbers. Like 50-45. Send me this guy’s name and location,” said Nurmagomedov.

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Islam Makhachev got the victory by way of submission otherwise we could have seen a new controversy in the making. Well, Dana White was also furious at the faulty judging as he took the mic to add a fiery response.

UFC Supremo Dana White tore apart the judges

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Dana White was equally shocked as he was not expecting this level of faulty judging in such a major league. While having a conversation with the media after the event at the UFC 302 presser, White was asked about his opinion on the judging at UFC 302 to which he said that it was unfortunate and the judge who gave the faulty decision, Dave Tirelli, should never judge.

“It wasn’t weird, it was f—–g nuts is what it was. Insane. That guy should never (judge) a big fight again. They should kick him back down to the minor leagues and let him work on his judging. It’s unbelievable. How anybody who isn’t an absolute f—–g lunatic could call that fight a split decision, I don’t even know what to say about that. It’s insane. That guy shouldn’t be judging big fights,” said Dana White via UFC 302 press conference.

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If we take Strickland’s fight into consideration, then the former champion completely outworked Paulo Costa over the course of five rounds. He had 182 strikes in compression to 158 by Costa. No wonder, Dana White was angry by the judging. Do you think this would trigger the promotion to ask for better judges? State your thoughts in the comments below.

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Suryakant Das

3,440 Articles

Suryakant Das is a senior writer who leads UFC live coverage at EssentiallySports, known for his broad expertise and standout professionalism in MMA journalism. Over two years in the field, he has become a key voice on real-time event updates, pre- and post-fight interviews, and analysis of viral moments from the Joe Rogan Experience. His dynamic reporting is backed by selection to the Journalistic Excellence Program, which hones advanced editorial skills and strategic coverage approaches for top talent. Suryakant’s career is defined by his ability to deliver both speed and depth. His versatile background spans sports journalism, content writing, and editorial roles, helping him navigate fast-paced live coverage and deliver meaningful stories with clarity and precision. Recognition from respected MMA figures such as Nina-Marie Daniele and Hall of Famer Michael Bisping further marks him as a trusted authority in the UFC community.

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Yeswanth Praveen

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