Watson: A takedown wins the round to judges
“I’ve seen this before with the same result,” said Tom Watson of his loss to Nick Catone. “If you have a takedown, it wins you the round, whether you do anything or not.”
Nick Catone and the UK’s Tom “Kong” Watson fought Saturday night at UFC 169, with Catone taking a controversial Split Decision. Catone ended up in the hospital with a torn ACL suffered in the third round, and Watson was left frustrated, and uncertain about MMA scoring, specifically the worth of a takedown.
I’ve seen this before with the same result, said Watson. If you have a takedown, it wins you the round, whether you do anything or not.
I came out with less damage, but I was taken down. It was difficult. I don’t know what to do.”
The issue of scoring takedowns in MMA is a contentious one, and has been for nearly as long as there has been scoring in the sport. If a fighter takes down another, but does no damage, and tries for no submissions, was it of significance? Indeed, if a fighter takes down another simply in order to smother the others’ attacks, is it even a form a of timidity?