http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naeRv5H0ubo&feature=channel_video_title
Even fighters with a wrestling base are speaking out about how much of a joke it is that guys are getting decisions just based on takedowns and being on top.
Deuce77 - Judging sucks in boxing too. Maybe it should be required all judges in combat sports must have been fighters at one point. Herb Dean style.
That would be beneficial in theory, but Dave Hagen and Cecil Peoples were both martial artists, and they're the worst damn judges in the sport that I've seen.
I think a solution is to make the unified rules more black and white. I don't think there's anything wrong with the criteria in intention, but the somewhat ambiguous wording make them prone to be interpreted with bias, like a religious book for example. Thus there are a plethora of sects of every religion.
I should amend and clarify that there isn't much wrong with the criteria in the unified rules. It still puts too much weight on takedowns and positioning, which doesn't reflect damage (you're in an advantageous position, now do something with it) but not nearly as much as in practice.
ChucoV - I just hope in my lifetime this'll get fixed. And whatever happened to scoring .5? I know I just read recently that they tried it in California, so what happens with it next? <img src="/images/phone/post_tag.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Ratner said he wants the system to be studied for a year until their commission evaluates and determines whether to adopt it or not. I think the experiment started at the beginning of 2011.
Half points probably would have gotten a win for fighters like Machida, Maia, and Wiman in recent events.
the problem is a downword spiral that cant be fixed im afraid
it evolved beyond the point of correction
you started with vale tudo (no rules)
-but to go main stream you needed to create rules.
-rules be be interpreted differently by different people causeing judging conflicts
-fighters will look to exploit the rules to gain advantage and find easier ways to win
-people will complain about fighters not fighting to finish and bad judging
-you try to make the rule more black and white for more consistant scoring
-but this makes using the rules to win even easier for fighters and make fights even less exciting
-people will complain about fighters not fighting to finish and bad judging
-etc
-etc
-etc
-etc
-infinity