Judges Gonna Judge: Was Cub Swanson right to be surprised by decision win over Hakeem Dawodu?

Welcome to “Judges Gonna Judge,” where our MMA Junkie staff panel revisits the most controversial decision that occurred over the weekend.

This week, we take a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 51 co-main bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, a featherweight matchup between Cub Swanson and Hakeem Dawodu.

The fight was mostly a striking affair over 15 minutes, although there were some moments in the clinch and on the mat. The judges rendered their decision and all three scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Swanson, much to his surprise.

Considering how the fight unfolded, Swanson’s reaction as his hand was raised by the referee and his admission that he did not think he won the fight in post-fight inteviews, the judges’ decision was publicly scrutinized. Media members overwhelmingly saw the fight for Dawodu, as 11 of the 13 scores submitted on MMA Decisions were in his favor.

Official judges Ron McCarthy and Jacob Montalvo issued identical scorecards, giving Swanson the first and third rounds. Judge Sal D’Amato arrived at a 29-28 score, but he saw the second and third rounds for Swanson.

MMA Junkie’s Matthew Wells, Farah Hannoun and Mike Bohn put on their judging hats and break the fight down by each round.

If you need a refresher on the official scoring criteria before we dive in, you can check it out here.