Getty Image / Josh Hedges
UFC 282 took a weird turn after Paddy Pimblett won an extremely controversial fight over Jared Gordon. In fact, it was so odd, that the judging commission is apparently looking into it.
One judge, Doug Crosby, had a suspect scorecard for the Bellator 289 main event between Raufeon Stots and Danny Sabatello. Then he turned around and had a controversial scorecard for the co-main event at UFC 282.
According to Ariel Helwani, “Mike Mazzulli, president of ABC and head of the Mohegan Tribe commission,” made an official statement regarding Doug Crosby. This is what Mazzulli had to say about Crosby’s odd 50-45 scorecard at Bellator 289.
Statement from Mike Mazzulli, president of ABC and head of the Mohegan Tribe commission, on Doug Crosby’s 50-45 scorecard.
“This is a very serious situation.” pic.twitter.com/c50Ljme8EP
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 13, 2022
His ruling for the Stots-Sabatello fight was so absurd that many MMA fighters called out the judging. Including UFC champion Aljamain Sterling.
Bro, idk Crosby but that’s gotta be the most ignorant judging I’ve seen in awhile at a high level of MMA. 50-45??? https://t.co/yfcjWX6VNf
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 10, 2022
After that, Doug Crosby flew out to Las Vegas to judge the UFC 282 event, per Ariel Helwani. Everything was fine and dandy until it came to reading the scorecards for Paddy Pimblett and Jared Gordon.
Reminder: after this egregious scorecard, Crosby flew from CT to Nevada to work UFC 282. He scored Pimblett-Gordon 29-28 for Pimblett.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 13, 2022
It all does seem a bit weird, doesn’t it? Due to back-to-back possible blunders, the entire situation is under review.
I asked Mazzulli if he would be ok with a judge flying cross country to work his show on Saturday in CT if he was in Nevada on Friday. “No,” he said.
This is under review.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 13, 2022
Typically bad judging gets swept under the rug. However, when one judge has two controversial scorecards in two separate events, it’s time to look into it. As for the results of the fights in question, both Raufeon Stots and Paddy Pimblett will retain their victories. Even so, Doug Crosby remains under fire for his decisions.