The undisputed UFC heavyweight title is scheduled to be contested for the primary time in over two years. Tom Aspinall will face Ciryl Gane in Abu Dhabi. Not since Jon Jones defeated Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023 has the undisputed belt been on the road.
Even this matchup, nevertheless, has drawn criticism from each followers and professionals alike. Gane earned his shot on the title after an especially controversial break up choice victory over Alexander Volkov, which solidified him as the subsequent in line. The problem is—he didn’t win that struggle. A phrase I don’t use flippantly, however a theft occurred that night time at UFC 310 when Gane was wrongfully awarded the choice.
In one of the crucial idiotic promotional strikes I’ve ever seen, somebody on the UFC social media crew thought it might be a good suggestion to add your complete theft to the official UFC YouTube channel – as a technique to promote the upcoming UFC 321 pay-per-view.
The Injustice In opposition to Volkov That Modified the Heavyweight Title Image for Gane
This is among the worst choices in UFC historical past. Completely inexcusable instance of incompetent judging. The judges answerable for denying Alexander Volkov a rightful title shot are Adalaide Byrd and Junichiro Kamijo, who scored the struggle 29-28 for Ciryl Gane. Choose Byrd, particularly, has a protracted and controversial monitor report, together with accusations of corruption after her scorecard for Canelo Álvarez against Gennady Golovkin. One other blatant theft that sparked widespread outrage within the boxing world.
Unbiased research of multiple MMA media score cards all again up the proof of this theft. Dana White himself stated he thought Volkov gained that struggle through the submit struggle press convention on the time:
The general public response to the UFC’s choice to add the complete struggle speaks volumes. The remark part is overwhelmingly unfavourable, serving as a transparent reminder that Gane is simply preventing Tom Aspinall for the undisputed title due to both sheer inaptitude or attainable corruption. It’s unacceptable, and it actually shouldn’t be rewarded.
There’s precedent for the UFC to do the appropriate factor. When José Aldo Jr. was robbed in a choice loss to Marlon Moraes in 2019, the UFC acknowledged the injustice and nonetheless granted him a title shot—as a result of everybody, together with Dana White, knew Aldo had gained that struggle.
Fighters put their careers and legacies on the road each time they step into the Octagon. When judges fail at their most elementary duty, the implications are monumental. The UFC owes it to its athletes, in addition to its followers to carry judges accountable and be sure that title pictures are earned by way of efficiency, not handed out due to botched scorecards.
