The main event at UFC on FOX 10 ended in a controversial Split Decision for Benson Henderson. Josh Thomson got a broken hand, his show money, and lost the title shot he had earned vs. Anthony Pettis.
There was a lot of uncertainty before Bruce Buffer read off the scores:
Judge Gabriel Sabaitis scores the bout 48-47, Thomson
Judge Brian Puccillo scores the bout 48-47, Henderson
And Judge Sal D’Amato scores the bout 49-46, for the winner by Split Decision……….Benson Smooth Henderson!
That was the beginning of the controversy.
I. HOW THE JUDGES SAW IT
The scores broke down as follows:
Round One
Sal D’Amato – Thomson
Brian Puccillo – Thomson
Gabriel Sabaitis – Thomson
Round Two
Sal D’Amato – Henderson
Brian Puccillo – Thomson
Gabriel Sabaitis – Henderson
Round Three
Sal D’Amato – Henderson
Brian Puccillo – Henderson
Gabriel Sabaitis – Thomson
Round Four
Sal D’Amato – Henderson
Brian Puccillo – Henderson
Gabriel Sabaitis – Henderson
Round Five
Sal D’Amato – Henderson
Brian Puccillo – Henderson
Gabriel Sabaitis – Thomson
The scores can also be looked at by judge:
Judge Sal D’Amato
Thomson Henderson Henderson Henderson Henderson
Judge Brian Puccillo
Thomson Thomson Henderson Henderson Henderson
Judge Gabriel Sabaitis
Thomson Henderson Thomson Henderson Thomson Henderson
II. HOW FIGHT METRIC SAW IT
Fight Metric broke the fight down using both their own method, and by the 10 Point Must system. Using the round by round scoring mandated by the Unified Rules, Fight Metric scored it for Thomson:
Judge Fight Metric
Thomson Thomson Henderson Thomson Draw.
However, using the Fight Metric Effectiveness Score, they called the fight a draw.
Striking Report
Grappling Report
Decision/TPR
III. HOW THE MMA MEDIA SAW IT
MMADecisions aggregated media scores, and they were overwhelmingly for Thomson.
For Henderson
MMAWeekly.com – 49-46
BleacherReport.com, Craig Amos – 49-46
MMAJunkie.com 49-46
For Thomson
BloodyElbow.com, Mookie Alexander – 47-48
BloodyElbow.comm, T.P. Grant – 47-48
BloodyElbow.com, Tim Burke – 47-48
Fight Network, John Pollock – 47-48
Las Vegas Sun, Paul-Delos Santos – 47-48
MMAFighting.com, Chuck Mindenhall – 47-48
MMAMania.com, Cory Braiterman – 47-48
Sherdog.com, TJ DeSantis – 46-49
Sherdog.com, Chris Nelson – 46-49
Sherdog.com, Jordan Breen – 46-49
IV. HOW FIGHTERS SAW IT
Derek Brunson @DerekBrunsonMMA
Dont leave it in the hands of the judges , they will make you cry every time – Burt Watson . This 1 to the judges
TJ Grant @TJ_Grant
Could this be a draw? I gave 1 to Thompson. 2 literally either way. 3 hendo 4 Thompson and 5 neither guy took it
Kelvin Gastelum @KelvinGastelum
Draw?
Brian Stann @BrianStann
Tough fight to score, could see a lot of people arguing after this one
FOR THOMSON
Anthony Pettis @Showtimepettis
I am not impressed….#GSPvoice
AL IAQUINTA @ALIAQUINTA
Bullahit
Cesar Gracie @CesarGracieBJJ
@ufc judges must hate former @Strikeforce champs.
Dan Henderson @danhendo
I gave rounds 1,2 and 4 to Josh.
The judge who had it 4-1 for Bendo needs to be fired.
Felice Herrig @feliceherrig
That decision was bullshit @UFC Thompson won that fight !!!
Ian McCall @Unclecreepymma
Bullshit … @THEREALPUNK won that fight
Ivan Menjivar ufc @Ivanmenjivar
i say Thomson by unanimous decision
Jamie Varner @jamievarner
I’m just gonna assume if I don’t finish my fights from now on, I’m gonna lose. Great fight tonight @BensonHenderson @THEREALPUNK
jimi manuwa @POSTERBOYJM
Whattttt!!!!
khabib nurmagomedov @TeamKhabib
48-47 Josh
Patrick Healy @BamBamHealy
Judges can be a real bummer. @THEREALPUNK was robbed. Still deserves a title shot.
‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings @RowdyBec
BULLSHIIIIIIIT!!!
Roy Nelson @roynelsonmma
Congrats to Josh he won but Henderson won the judges
Tim Kennedy @TimKennedyMMA
MMA judges SUCK BALLS!!!!!!
FOR HENDERSON
Sarah Kaufman @mmasarah
I have Henderson taking rd 5 by a small margin and taking the fight 49-46. There were some close rds though so I could be of
Tim Welch @TimwelchMT
Punk won most of the positions but did zero damage , Benson was damaging him the whole time , good decision
And the last word here goes to Benson Henderson, who got the win.
Benson Henderson @BensonHenderson
•Hats off to @TheRealPunk, WE who lay it on the line know the ups n downs that come w/the job, you’re a stud, mad respect…
•I love you @ufc fans, you make this tough job worth it, a lot of other things I could do to pay my bills but wouldn’t be as fun!!!
V. HOW BENSON HENDERSON SAW IT
I felt I definitely did enough to deserve to get my hand raised and get the W,” said Henderson. Getting a W inside the UFC, let me see how you do it, and how you take it. I like Ws. I like getting my hand raised. I’ll take it any way I can get it – you slip on a banana peel, by the skin of my teeth, by any means.
VI. HOW JOSH THOMSON SAW IT
Thomson was so dissapointed, he is considering retirement.
This might be it, man, said Thomson at the post-fight press conference, as transcribed by MMAWeekly. You train this hard for this long. I just see my title shots [expletive] disappearing.
I’ve had this all in my head. A 15-, 16-week camp will do that to you. I’m no spring chicken, so you start thinking about it. Two practices a day for six days a week, 16 weeks; that’s an NFL season. I get hit more than guys in the NFL and they get paid way more.
Everybody needs to know [when] their time has come. Maybe it’s not mine right now, but I also don’t want to be that person that fights not knowing when it’s time to quit.
I beat the former UFC champion. The guy was here for two years, and I beat him with one hand. That’s what I can’t stomach. I’m a better fighter. That’s what pisses me off.
Realistically, I’m just going to go home, have a talk with my family and talk with my coaches, and I’m probably going to sit down with Dana and see which direction we want to go. That’s really what it comes down to is just getting the whole team together, seeing what the plans are for me.
VII. HOW DID YOU SEE IT?
Last words go to the UG. Who do you think won the fight, why, and who do you think hurt who most?
