Joe Rogan Questions Sean O'Malley's Win

UFC commentator Joe Rogan is critical of MMA’s 10-point scoring system and believes Petr Yan was the true winner of Saturday’s fight against Sean O’Malley. The two fought in Abu Dhabi in UFC 280’s Fight of the Night. Yan lost a controversial split decision to O’Malley, which garnered the criticism of many, including Rogan and former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Joe Rogan gives O’Malley credit for his significant takedowns and damage that he inflicted, but ultimately believes Yan won the fight.

“He was certainly in it against Petr Yan, who was a former champion, the best in the division, the No. 1 contender,” Rogan said on The Joe Rogan Experience. “It was a very close fight, and he definitely hurt Petr on multiple occasions. He caught him with that big knee, rocked him. But the question is: How much is the takedown worth? How much is control worth?”

Rogan’s main objections to O’Malley’s victory were based on the impact of Yan’s takedowns and the way that the MMA scoring works in general.

“Takedowns without damage, what is that value? I’m not denying that I thought Petr Yan won, because I did think he won at the end of it. But takedowns without damage vs. standup with damage, because ‘Sugar’ landed more strikes standing and had big moments. Yan had some big moments, too, one big left hand that rocked him. The question is: How valuable are those takedowns, and how valuable is that top game and that control?”

He went on to criticize the 10-point scoring system in the MMA, believing it does not take into account the damage inflicted. Rogan believes that the system does not make sense in that the points for two different fights could be the same but the control and damage inflicted very different.

“We’re limited by this 10-point must system. One guy can win a round 10-9 and it can be a very close round, and someone can win a round clearly and it can be 10-9. That doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Do you think Petr Yan was robbed of a win?

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