Dana White‘s UFC 315 delivered chaos that many wanted, delivered violence such as the major injury to fighter Bruno Silva, who seems to have gotten his skull dented. However, in the end, the talking point became an unexpected decision that left fight fans confused. In what was expected to be a gritty light heavyweight slugfest, Ion Cutelaba and Modestas Bukauskas went to war in Montreal, but it was the judges who ended up becoming the center of attention. The fight had its fair share of wild moments and momentum swings, but nothing prepared anyone for the final scorecards that featured not one, but two 30-27s given out. One thing was clear: the verdict did not sit well with the majority of those out there. Especially Ion Cutelaba and, unexpectedly, Modestas Bukauskas.

Shortly after the decision was announced, Cutelaba took to social media to make his stance clear: “They gave me a loss, but I know I won. The points spoke clearly—the judges didn’t. No excuses, no complaints. Even when the system fails, I don’t. I risk, I learn, I fight harder. You can steal a decision, but you’ll never break my spirit,” he said. The fans also appeared to agree. Right after the scorecards came out, social media erupted with criticism of the scorecards, particularly the two judges who gave ‘The Baltic Gladiator’ a 30-27, despite it being a really close contest. In an unexpected twist that no one saw coming, even Bukauskas was dissatisfied with the outcome.

“I was just as surprised as anyone,” he said in a post-fight interview. “I thought it would be a split decision or even go his way. 30-27? That’s baffling.” It is unusual for a fighter to question the judges after he/she won, especially one that officially improves their record, but it seems like Modestas Bukauskas simply chose modesty. When both the winner and the loser point out the same issue, it no longer appears to be a question of opinion and instead indicates a systematic failure.

The UFC has seen terrible scorecards before, such as the one at UFC 247, where Jon Jones fought and won against Dominick Reyes, or UFC 167, as Georges St-Pierre retained against Johny Hendricks. As a result, this one too sparked outrage because it devalued both competitors’ efforts and proved further that the head honcho has a major problem on his hands. In fact, even the commentators could barely digest it. So much so that they couldn’t help control their emotions after the result, even asking Dana White to finally take some stern action to avoid such chaos.

All eyes on Dana White as controversial decision earns flak from the commentary

The shockwaves from the Ion Cutelaba-Modestas Bukauskas scorecards didn’t end at the cage or online, but this time, they echoed right through the UFC broadcast booth. Moments after the decision was announced, Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz—two of the sport’s most respected voices—couldn’t hold back at all. Their reactions were not scripted or filtered; they were real, instinctive, and brutally honest.

Cormier, who never hesitates to call things as he sees them, immediately focused on Pasquale Procopio, the judge who handed out the notorious 30-27. “That’s insane,” he said as the ruling was delivered, before doubling down on-air in shock that ‘The Hulk’ was refused credit for his early rounds. Dominick Cruz didn’t hold back, either. He specifically requested that judges’ faces be exposed during broadcasts so that they can be held accountable.

These were not casual remarks; this was a boiling point. Two UFC Hall of Famers openly dismantled the integrity of the scorecards in front of millions of people. And when influential voices like ‘DC’ and Cruz speak up, the ripple effect is massive. It was no longer about Cutelaba being wronged but about revealing a pattern. The heat Procopio is facing might not just cost him credibility; it might end his UFC judging career entirely. And, given Dana White’s reputation for pointing out judging failures, this misstep might be the final straw. What do you think? Do you agree with the judges? Let us know in the comments.