UFC fights are scored round-by-round, using the same 10-point must system as boxing. However, keeping track of a fight is harder than it seems, with a multitude of factors contributing to a fighter’s success.
UFC has millions of fans, yet fight scoring remains a grey area. Fight fans are shouting ‘robbery’ when they don’t really understand what constitutes a winning round under the rules.
This guide will cover the ins and outs of how UFC fights are actually scored, so that you can flex your scoring knowledge next time you’re watching. From what constitutes a 10-8 round, to how judges are actually scoring UFC fights.
The UFC scoring system explained
UFC’s scoring criteria
Three judges score a UFC fight on five criteria.
- Impact: Visible damage inflicted. Fatigue inflicted.
- Dominance and Duration: Loser forced to defend. Winner: time spent attacking.
- Effective aggression and Control: Aggression is only used when striking/grappling are 100% equal. Control is used only when no other criteria are met.
So, for example, if a fighter is held down for 3 minutes of the round, but recovers and breaks his opponent’s nose, he’s likely to steal the round despite being controlled.
How UFC judges score fights
Using this criterion, judges score rounds using the ten-point must system.
- 10-10: Round is even (We never see these in UFC)
- 10-9: Fighter won by a small to modest margin.
- 10-8: Fighter won by a dominant margin.
- 10-7: Fighter won by an overwhelmingly dominant margin (Rare).
These scores are then tallied up, and the fighter with the highest score wins the decision on that judge’s scorecard. A fighter needs at least two judges in their favor to win the match.
Evaluating UFC robberies
Because the scoring criteria work this way, it’s easy to look at some decisions as robberies. Robberies are when fans and pundits believe the loser won the fight, despite the judges’ scorecards.
Sometimes the decisions are baffling, like Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon; other times, they make sense once you consider the criteria, like Alexander Volkov vs. Ciryl Gane 2.
The most important thing to consider is this hierarchy:
Damage > Dominance and Duration > Aggression > Control Time
It’s also worth mentioning that the judges consider “acute aggression” (severe) more than cumulative aggression. Those final ten seconds, where a losing fighter lacerates their opponent, can seriously swing the fight.
UFC decisions explained
There are also many decisions that a fight can lead to. Here are the core types of decisions for you to wrap your head around.
Unanimous decision
All three judges pick the same winner.
Split decision
Two judges pick one fighter, one judge picks the other.
Majority decision
Two judges pick one fighter, and the other scores a draw.
Draw
All judges score the fight a draw. A draw can also be scored as a majority or a split.
Once you understand what UFC judges are actually looking for, decisions become easier to read — even when you don’t agree with them.
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