Fights that were closer than people think?

[Iroh]

Everyone could clearly see Alex took off those rounds. He’s never been in a 5 round fight so was definitely saving some gas

<{cruzshake}>

 

[RageQuitLord]

Lol. No.

It was close because Adesanya is a significantly better striker.

Izzy is a better striker than a guy he is 3-0 with who beat him in two different sports. Your cope is embarrassing bro just stop lol

 

[Raptors2019]

Aldo vs McGregor

 

[MMAcolyte]

While I do think Hammill should've gotten the nod it wasn't a complete one sided beat down like how some people describe.

How the hell Hendo didn't get a 10-8 round in the Bisping rematch and get a draw as the official decision is beyond me.

He didn't deserve a 10-8 because had it not been for the two knockdowns, Bisping definitely would have won the two rounds they occurred in. The knockdowns were more than enough to win him those rounds, but they also "saved" those rounds for him, in the sense that Bisping was clearly winning them until he got decked.

Now, why Hendo didn't win the 5th round and win the decision is beyond me.

 

[Ares Black]

Izzy is a better striker than a guy he is 3-0 with who beat him in two different sports. Your cope is embarrassing bro just stop lol

Have you actually watched any of those 3 fights?

 

[MMAcolyte]

Mighty Mouse vs Benavidez I

Figureido vs Moreno IV

Jacare vs Romero

Jacare vs Gasteum

 

[Richard Fannin]

Matt Serra vs Hughes & BJ... the Hughes fight could have been a draw and not many people would have complained.

Wanderlei vs Ace Franklin 1... there's a reason they had a rematch (well, aside from the fact that Vitor Belfort got injured and they needed Ace to step in instead of fighting Cung Le at the next event, which ended up happening anyway)
Weird part is how Wand got closer to finishing Ace in the 5 rounds rematch, but the first fight was much closer.

They both came close to finishing one another

 

[Gregoire1]

Jones vs DC 1

Crying DC meme and the ko closed the rivalry in Jon's favor. The image of Jon holding DC down by his head LOOKS very dominant for Jon.


But the fight was competitive. Jon won but it was no blowout. 48-47 with some close rounds.

49-46

 

[JarlSkuld]

Murphy vs Andrade

That one was closer to murder than people remember.

Jarl

 

[cereal gan]

Izzy is still the favourite for the 4th. Is measurably the more skill fighter. Alex dwarfs LHW's lol. And to think he hasn't won via purely skill, he's had assisted wins via referee sympathy and circumstantial timing of the end of a round.

Was hilarious all these clowns claiming Alex the glory champ would be the better striker, yet he got turned into a panic wrestler. Take down end of round 1 (or was it 2), and then a failed takedown attempt round 3 which Izzy reversed.

Alex is stlll very skilled, just not as skilled as Izzy, the reconciling factors being his massive size and power, and of course the "luck" hes had. And despite this, hes still the underdog for a 4th.

it would be hilarious when he finishes him 3 times in a row and end it 4 0 when yall still claim "izZzY bEtTer fIGhTeR"

why don't you just say i'm more impressed by izzy flashy moves ? and i don't understand pereira ? the only clown here is you
people are right, he's credentially a better striker and beat this guy 3 times already 2 times via stoppage
your argument is wELL iZzZzZY lOoKeD lIke hE wAs wInNiNg uNtIL hE wAsN't 3 times already lol
the inferior guy you claim, already did what your boy couldn't do in kickboxing and claimed glory belt twice and defended 5 times, beating guys that beat izzy, twice ( simon marcus, jason wilnis )
and now beat izzy again as a mma noob lol
get off the copium

 

[jeff7b9]

49-46

I stand corrected.

2nd and 3rd rounds were split.

Jon won 1, 4, 5 on all cards.

People generally seem to remember it as blowout but it was a competitive fight.

 

[Gregoire1]

I stand corrected.

2nd and 3rd rounds were split.

Jon won 1, 4, 5 on all cards.

People generally seem to remember it as blowout but it was a competitive fight.


View attachment 964539

so, all three judges gave 49-46. its right score.

 

[Spath]

BJ Penn vs Fitch , UFC 127
It was ruled a majority draw but was even closer than that



Some scored it for Fitch, some for Penn, some a draw. That’s a fight no one else would’ve thought about Because I don’t even know why I thought of that fight. Random as shit.

 

[jsbx45]

If you had izzy ahead going into round 5, then that means you would have had it 3-1 izzy, and thus even after round 5 you would have had izzy winning.....you sure you didnt have it 2-2 going into the 5th?

Round by round scoring sure. Still feel like Izzy had the edge going into the last round even if it's impossible to score it that way. It was a closer fight than the popular Narrative of "Izzy was domunated" would suggest.

 

[jeff7b9]

so, all three judges gave 49-46. its right score.

Do you not understand the words "I stand corrected" ?

 

[Gregoire1]

Do you not understand the words "I stand corrected" ?

 

[DreyDay]

What's up with this Yan hate in here? How the hell were the fights vs Rivera, Dodson, Sterling 1 and Aldo close?

 

[RageQuitLord]

Have you actually watched any of those 3 fights?

Yeah dude and Izzy got walked down and fucked up bro lol

 

[Richard Fannin]

BJ Penn vs Fitch , UFC 127
It was ruled a majority draw but was even closer than that



Some scored it for Fitch, some for Penn, some a draw. That’s a fight no one else would’ve thought about Because I don’t even know why I thought of that fight. Random as shit.

This fight does come up pretty often, as Penn fans like to remind people that he has a draw against prime Fitch, even though the refs scored it against him (like, one gave it to Fitch, and the other 2 called it a draw, soooo......?)

Giving it to Penn though, I wouldn't go that far.
Sure, it was a close-ish fight, BJ won the first round, the second one was the perfect definition of a "draw round", and the 3rd round was a clear 10-8 for Jon... the ref could have stopped it a few times in the 3rd round when Fitch was pounding on Penn, and there would have been little controversy IMHO

... well I stand corrected, one of the medias outlets gave it to BJ:

MEDIA SCORES
FightMetric.com​

29-27​

Fitch
MMAJunkie.com​

29-28​

Fitch
Jordan Breen
Sherdog.com​

29-28​

Fitch
TJ DeSantis
Sherdog.com​

29-28​

Fitch
Ray Hui
MMAFighting.com​

29-28​

Fitch
Mike Whitman
Sherdog.com​

29-29​

DRAW
MMAWeekly.com​

28-29​

Penn​

MMAWeekly gave the first and second round 10-9 to Penn
(I think this round was too close to call, but if you have to give it to someone, then Fitch did a little bit more, but he had a bloody nose, so the "look at his face!!" mentality might have taken over),
and scored the 3rd one only a 10-9 for Fitch

That's why I wish more 10-8 rounds were given, because there's no way the second round, that Penn arguably lost, and was IMHO at worst a draw, should count the same as the 3rd one in which Fitch beat Penn on the feet, took him down 2 or 3 times, and throws dozens of unanswered punches with no retaliation.

The Sherbros official PBP if anyone cares; 2 scored it for Fitch, the third one a draw.

Round 1
Herb Dean draws officiating duties for the welterweight main event. Penn and Fitch pace in their respective corners, staring one another down. Fitch grimaces and Penn motions a throat slash. At the onset, Penn rushes to clinch and looks for a takedown while he presses Fitch into the fence. Fitch stuffs and takes overhooks, landing a couple knees up the gut as Penn relents on his single-leg. Fitch reverses and drops for a single of his own, but Penn sprawls and hops against the cage while landing smacking shots to Fitch’s face. Fitch reshoots the single-leg and still can’t drag Penn down. They disengage and Penn goes for a takedown of his own, effortlessly flooring the former Purdue wrestler. Penn jumps onto Fitch’s back and locks up a body triangle, but Fitch goes to his knees and Penn loses it. The Hawaiian gets his hooks back in and rolls onto his back, digging his heels into Fitch’s guts from underneath. Fitch defends the choke and turns over, winding up in Penn’s guard, where Penn soon kicks him off and stands. Fitch goes back to the single-leg against the fence with 30 seconds to go, and again it’s not working. Penn lands a few short punches and Fitch closes the round with an elbow.

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Penn

Round 2
Fitch kicks high and nearly gets knocked off balance. Instead, he comes forward and drives Penn down against the fence. Fitch drives his knee into Penn’s legs a few times before B.J. stands and retaliates with punches and elbows. Fitch gets back up and the pair clinch along the outside. The wrestler drops down and can’t execute; Penn answers with a hard, short elbow that bloodies Fitch’s nose. Penn reverses and gets his head caught momentarily. The fighters disengage with two minutes to go. Penn takes Fitch down and once again hops on his back. Penn gets his hooks and drops back, but same as in the first frame, Fitch powers out and spins into the ex-champ’s guard. Hard shots coming from Fitch on top, both to the face and body of Penn, who gets up just before the end of the round.

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10

Round 3
Fitch opens up with a cracking overhand right and powers through, into Penn’s guard. He muscles “The Prodigy” into the fence, but Penn kicks him off and stands quickly. Fitch shoots again and brings B.J. down, and Penn is warned for grabbing the cage. Penn stands with Fitch on his back, drilling knees into Penn’s legs. Now Fitch shoves Penn to his knees, his face colliding with the canvas. Back in Penn’s open guard, Fitch gets busy with punches, but nothing powerful lands. The Sydney crowd jeers the grinding style with half of the final round done. Fitch is landing dozens of punches with no retaliation from Penn. They’re not the hardest and Penn does not appear to be in danger of being finished, but they’re certainly mounting. Penn throws up his legs for a triangle, but it doesn’t come. Fitch is throwing non-stop hammer fists and elbows from Penn’s closed guard in the last minute.

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch (29-28 Fitch)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-8 Fitch (29-28 Fitch)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Fitch (29-29 Draw)

Official scores: Judge Barry Foley has it 29-28 in favor of Jon Fitch. However, judges Sal D’Amato and Chris Lee see it 28-28, making the bout a majority draw.

Anyway, might as well try to think of another close fight to end this post...
Ah yes, as much as it pains me, Wanderlei vs Arona 2 was closer than I was comfortable with.

Wand was super agressive and had the champ factor, but I was so scared he might get the nod and then... I just hated Arona after the Sakuraba fight, and for beating Wand when he came for revenge, wearing his Saku belt and the baseball cap Saku gave him when he arrived at Chute Boxe (as seen in the Chuteraba documentary, that is probably lost to time...)

What else... I was rewatching some of KJ Noons fights "recently" , and his rematch with Nick Diaz caught my attention because it was closer than in my memory; Noons won 2 rounds, the second and the fifth, all the while having to fight with his luscious hair.

For a smaller guy with a much shorter reach and height, Noons did pretty good in the stand-up, beating Nick in their first (yeah, bullshit stoppage, but it was still a great round for KJ) and giving him trouble in the second, when Nick was on an insane winning streak
Working with Freddie Roach did "King Karl" wonders
(both guys were on great winning streaks*, and the bad blood and the first fight controversy made it one of the biggest out-of-the-UFC events of the year)

* between beating Nick in November 2007, and rematching him in 2010 KJ also won 5 pro-boxing bouts (and lost 1, all by decision)... the guy he lost to, James "The Crowd Pleaser" Countryman https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/260844?allSports=y was the only one to have a decent record (13-1, 15-1 if you count ama boxing bouts) when they fought, but apparently he never boxed again after that? That sucks, that should have been a boost to his career
(after watching 2 blurry boxing matches with him, )
Oh wow, James Countryman also boxed Melvin "The Young Assassin" Guillard, that's cool!

DAAAAAAAAAAAMN JAMES COUNTRYMAN KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT OF MELVIN GUILLARD HOLY SHIT
The sound is awful, don't even bother turning it on, but don't miss that knockout!

The "Crowd Pleaser" has a good record against MMArtists, wonder why he disappeared like that. Here's some pics of him winning =>

So why did he stop pleasing crowds right after the biggest win of his career? Gee, my bad, this kinda turned into a James Countryman post, and I'm down the rabbithole trying to find out what happened to him (another sherdogger wondered the same thing 10 years ago, doesn't look promising)

​

​

​

​

 

[Ares Black]

Yeah dude and Izzy got walked down and fucked up bro lol

So, no, you didn't watch any of them.