‘A Real S—y Night’ Of Kansas City Judging

A terrible decision in the opening fight of UFC Kansas City had execs worried they were in for a bad night of judging.

While it was nice to escape the UFC Apex and head to Kansas City for last weekend’s UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen event, the judging in Missouri left something to be desired.

Things kicked off on the wrong foot in the very first fight of the night between Joselyne Edwards and Lucie Pudilova. While Edwards started out strong, Pudilova took over the fight through the second and third rounds. Most watching gave her the fight 29-28, but judges saw it the other way, handing the fight to Edwards via split decision.

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier expressed his disbelief in the scores on Twitter.

“That’s really bad! What a bad start to the night with Judging. Holy s—,” he wrote.

“Let’s not even talk about [Edwards vs. Pudilova],” he said during a post-event breakdown. “Some of the absolute worst judging I have ever seen in my entire life. I have nothing against Joselyne Edwards, but she [didn’t] win that fight. I don’t know how she won that fight. She got beat, it is what it is.”

Even UFC president Dana White admitted they were a bit shook by the score.

“We got a text from Mick [Maynard] that said ‘If this is how the judging is going to be tonight, we’re in for a real s****y night,’” he said at the post-fight press conference. When asked if Pudilova might still get a win bonus or something, he replied “I’ve got to look deeper into it. I don’t know enough about it yet but I do know that Mick agreed and said that.”

Unfortunately, Joselyne Edwards has been the one getting abuse from fans online regarding the gift decision. She addressed the situation on her Instagram.

“About last night’s fight,” she wrote with a shrug emoji. “Stop the insults and hatred and all that bad energy towards me. I didn’t make the decision, at the end the W I have, I can’t do anything against … I don’t have anything else to say nor do I have to apologize to anyone because I haven’t done anything wrong.”

It sucks to hear Edwards is getting bagged on, and if you’re one of those people on social media that posts douchey DMs and comments at fighters following an event, maybe stop that? Go outside and touch grass for a while.

The judging would end up being acceptable enough across the rest of the night. And while there is some controversy regarding close rounds between main eventers Max Holloway and Arnold Allen, there’s no talk of robberies or incompetence.

Shitty night averted.