It’s the Monday after an all-time UFC card, so naturally, I’ve spent my entire day consuming as much MMA media as humanly possible, and I keep hearing one word that makes me want to get sucker-punched by Jorge Masvidal. That words, or words, are “rob,” “robbed,” and “robbery.” That is the most overused, misunderstood term in all of the mixed martial arts, and I cannot stand it.

For a fighter to be “robbed,” there has to be absolutely zero doubt that he won the fight. Like, there has no be little to no case whatsoever for the judges decision, and a complete consensus opinion that they were wrong. Think about an actual robbery. If I walk into my local convenience store and grab every diet coke in the place (I’m a DC addict), and then walkout without paying, there’s no denying that I robbed the place. Robberies are pretty cut and dry.

Historically in the UFC, my go to robbery is Michael Bisping vs Matt Hamill. In that fight Mike was given the decision despite being outstruck 88-65, and was taken down 6 times without landing one of his own. And when watching the fight, the eye test was absolutely in favor of Hamill in literally every round. There was no case for Bisping, yet the judges still gave it to him. Thats a robbery.

Now, I’m not saying that you’re crazy to think Petr Yan won that fight. There’s a more than reasonable case to score the fight 10-9 in favor of Yan in rounds 1,4, and 5, which would declare him the winner. But, if you’re using the word “robbery” then you’re out of your god damn mind, as there’s a more than competent case to be put together for Sterling winning that fight.

First off, he obviously won rounds 2 and 3, and both of which could have reasonably been scored a 10-8. If you give him a 10-8 in either of those rounds than its a draw at minimum. Plus, if you’re claiming robbery then you’re saying that round 1 was easily Yan’s round, and are dismissing any possibility that the round was close and could have gone either way.

Again, I have no problem with anyone giving the round to Yan, but if you think there’s no possibility anyone could give it to Aljo than your nuts. He outlanded him and arguably did more damage, while Yan certainly was the one pushing the pace, and if you said he did more damage I wouldn’t debate you.

Am I unbelievably biased towards Aljo? Oh yeah. But the notion that this fight was somehow a robbery is just ludacris. If one guy had two arguable 10-8 rounds and the only round in question was razor thin you’re a dummy if you’re crying robbery. Not to mention, the online fan vote on Verdict as well as the media vote was in favor of Sterling, so is everyone just a robber? No. It was a close fight, you’re guy didn’t get the nod, deal with it.

However, if you’re reading this and from Dagestan then I agree Yan was def robbed I’m sorry for calling you a dummy please don’t hurt me.

Shares:

Drop a Reply