Jon Anik was on the decision for the UFC 314 important occasion between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes, and after the third spherical, he felt there was an excellent case Volkanovski was up 30-27 on the scorecards. Not everybody agreed with that.
Anik served as lead commentator—alongside Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan offering shade commentary—for the UFC’s latest pay-per-view occasion, which was capped off by Volkanovski regaining the featherweight title by way of unanimous resolution. After the primary occasion ended, Rogan stated that matchmaker Sean Shelby “must be drug examined” after disagreeing with Anik’s tackle the primary quarter-hour of the battle. Anik was requested about the place that second stemmed from.
“So I trotted on the market on the published, near the top of the third spherical, I stated, ‘Diego Lopes would possibly need to do one thing right here, he’s in peril of being down 3-0,’” Anik advised MMA Combating. “Now, I don’t know that Sean Shelby’s me sideways after I say that, I’m doing the published, however then DC audibly—if reminiscence serves—introduced it to my consideration. So then I appeared down and Maynard and Shelby are me like I ought to lose my job, and never that I query myself, I do know what I see. …
“And I since have accomplished my homework about Spherical 4, and possibly I used to be in some half fallacious to criticize [judge] Sal D’Amato, regardless that generally I don’t know what I’m watching relative to what I’ve discovered, however yeah, I imply, I believe at that time limit, Shelby wrongfully, I can say that respectfully, thought Diego Lopes might need been up 2-1.”
Volkanovski earned two 49-46 scorecards, together with a 48-47 in his historic championship victory. “The Nice” appeared sensational for many of the battle, outdoors of getting dropped within the second spherical and taking an enormous punch within the fourth spherical that appeared to stagger the now multi-time world champ.
After rewatching the battle, Anik understands anyone who scored the motion a clear sweep for Volkanovski regardless of these two huge moments for Lopes.
“I believe there’s an argument for 50-45 Volkanovski primarily based upon my rewatch and my kind of analysis in a retroactive method into the scoring,” Anik stated. “Right here’s the factor, if I might simply say this in 20 seconds, the most important punch of the battle was landed in spherical 4, and I’d say, respectfully, disgrace on Diego Lopes for not following up. However Volk did land twice as many strikes in Spherical 4.
“I suppose now I can perceive why Sal would have scored that spherical for him, however I suppose the best way I’m saying in case you land the most important strike of the battle and also you come considerably near possibly placing the man away, is that not your spherical?
“However yeah, I imply, I gave 1, 2, 3, and 5 to Volk.”