5 times the judges might have gotten it wrong in the UFC this year

Ideally, the UFC wants the fights under its banner to never end up in the hands of judges. Unfortunately, not every bout ends with a thunderous knockout or spectacular submission. Sometimes, fighters are too cautious to pursue a finish against a foe, even if overmatched.

In other instances, UFC fighters who are on the receiving end of a dominant loss are too tough for their own good. Furthermore, some are both too tough and possess the defensive skills necessary to avoid being finished. More often than not, however, fighters aren't far enough apart in skills for a finish to emerge.

In such situations, matchups typically require a judge's input to determine the winner. In most situations, judges make the right call. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. This list details five such incidents in 2022 when MMA judges got it wrong.

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#5. Daniel Rodriguez vs. Li Jingliang, UFC 279

Daniel Rodriguez was originally scheduled to face Kevin Holland at UFC 279. Meanwhile, Li Jingliang was booked to clash with Tony Ferguson in what would have been the Chinese fighter's highest-profile bout. However, after Khamzat Chimaev missed weight by a significant margin, those matchups were reshuffled.

Li Jingliang ended up facing Daniel Rodriguez. While the matchup didn't steal the show, it did steal a few headlines after 'D-Rod' was declared the winner after three rounds. 'The Leech' was the more active fighter throughout the bout and even secured a brief takedown.

Not only did fans across the globe believe that the Chinese power-puncher had done enough to win, but so did MMA media members. Unfortunately, the judges disagreed and awarded 'D-Rod' the win.

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#4. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns, UFC 273

Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns are responsible for one of the greatest fights of 2022. The undefeated Chechen's reputation led many to believe that he'd either steamroll his foe or be exposed. Instead, the result was more nuanced than what many spectators expected.

No fighter was truly dominant. 'Borz' had a strong start to the bout, securing takedowns and a knockdown. However, an armbar attempt from the bottom by 'Durinho' caused him to abandon his wrestling. Soon afterward, the Chechen's cardio began failing him.

Burns landed more strikes and more significant strikes overall. Furthermore, he rocked and wobbled Chimaev several times throughout the bout. While he didn't manage a knockdown, it was only due to Chimaev disguising it as a sloppy takedown attempt.

Unfortunately, in the judges' eyes, 'Borz' did enough to win. Fighters and fans alike questioned the decision-making, but not much else came of it.

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#3. Sean O'Malley vs. Petr Yan, UFC 280

At UFC 280, multiple narratives played out. Many were curious as to whether Islam Makhachev would fulfill his destiny as Khabib Nurmagomedov's heir apparent. Additionally, fans wanted to see Aljamain Sterling either legitimize his reign or see T.J. Dillashaw expose him.

Similarly, Sean O'Malley was scheduled for the biggest test of his career. He faced former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan. While many predicted a dominant win for 'No Mercy', the matchup turned out to be far closer than expected. 'Sugar' fought well, forcing the former titleholder to resort to takedowns.

However, at the end of the bout, O'Malley was declared the winner, much to the shock of countless observers. Even 'Sugar' himself wasn't initially sure he had won the bout. It was a back-and-forth affair that saw both fighters hurt each other multiple times.

Yan, however, also managed to secure six takedowns with decent control time in addition to recording more strikes, both significant and otherwise.

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#2. Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jan Błachowicz, UFC 282

At UFC 282, two controversial decisions were made by the judges. Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Błachowicz crossed swords to determine the new 205 lbs champion after the divisional title had been vacated by Jiří Procházka.

The first two rounds were clearly in the Polish power-puncher's favor. The Dagestani light heavyweight struggled mightily against his opponent's low kicks. Halfway through the third round, however, Ankalaev turned the tide as his foe fatigued.

Błachowicz was helpless against his wrestling and did virtually nothing after being dragged to the mat. The fourth and fifth rounds were even more one-sided. In fact, they were 10-8 candidates as Ankalaev secured takedowns and landed vicious ground-and-pound.

Despite his best efforts and Błachowicz's impotent offense in the second half of the bout, the fight was declared a draw. Fans, analysts, and fighters across the globe heavily criticized the judges' decision-making as a robbery.

Ankalaev was, in the eyes of many, the winner. Even Błachowicz expressed his belief that he was not the winner of the bout despite his stellar start.

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#1. Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon, UFC 282

The closer Paddy Pimblett ascends to the top of the lightweight division, the stiffer his matchups will become. The former Cage Warriors champion has enjoyed a relatively easy run through the UFC. Unfortunately, at UFC 282, he was forced to face an opponent with serviceable skills in every facet of MMA.

Jared Gordon is a skilled generalist, and he made the fight as difficult as possible for 'The Baddy'. He was the more accurate striker throughout the night, repeatedly battering his foe's exposed chin with counter-left hooks. While the Scouser managed to record three more significant strikes, Gordon returned the favor.

He recorded three more overall strikes. Additionally, he secured three takedown attempts, while Pimblett failed all of his own. While the third round was a round of little activity due to Gordon pinning his foe against the fence, Pimblett did nothing from this position.

Thus, after the Scouser was awarded the win, fighters and fans decried the decision on social media en masse.