You can quickly switch out imagery without losing its placement and animations by right-clicking on the image and selecting "Replace Image". This will ensure it is placed in the correct layer and location and also apply any animations that were on the original image.
Once you create one question, you can easliy duplicate it for the other sections by selecting all of the elements in the layers panel and use the keyboard shortcut CMD + C to copy and CMD + V to paste.
We used a final hotspot with a unique interaction to reset the quiz. To accomplish this we have an interaction to show all of the "Content" layers, and hide all of the "Correct" and "Wrong" layers.
Each question is made up of 3 different layer groups - 1 for content, 1 for if they answer the question correctly, and 1 for if they get the question wrong. Simply set up the hotspots to show the "wrong" layer group for the incorrect answers, and the "correct" layer group for the right answers.
To achieve the cascading text effect in this section, we created four different text boxes and then used a "Fade in Up" animation with a small delay difference between the objects.
Pro tip: Easily copy and paste animations by right clicking on the animated object and selecting "Copy Animation".
1024px x 5820px
Templates - Tech Quiz
Try Again
Share This
Who won this exchange?
Go to next question...
judges say...
Damage and effect favor the Red Corner.
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Question 1/3
Go to next question...
Damage and effect favor the Red Corner.
Judges say...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 1/3
Blue Corner
Red Corner
Question 1/ 3
Go to next question...
The Red Corner's ground and pound overcomes the Blue Corner's choke attempt.
Judges say...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 3/3
Go to next question...
Judges say...
Red Corner's ground and pound narrowly overcomes choke attempt.
Great Job!
That is the
correct answer!
Question 3/3
Red Corner
Blue corner
WHO WON THIS EXCHANGE?
Question 3/3
Go to next question...
Judges say...
Blue Corner's punches overcome Red Corner's takedown.
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Question 2/3
Go to next question...
Red Corner briefly puts Blue Corner on canvas, but it's not enough to overcome punches absorbed.
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 2/3
Blue Corner
Red Corner
WHO WON THIS EXCHANGE?
Question 2/3
Go to next question...
The blue corner lands several solid strikes, but the red corner's last-second punch produces a near-knockout, winning the exchange.
Judges say....
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 1/3
Go to next question...
Judges say...
Last-second punch has immediate impact and overcomes the strikes
he took earlier in the exchange.
Hurrah!
That is the
correct answer!
Question 1/3
Red CORNER
BLUE CORNER
Question 1/3
Part 1
presents
(WITH QUIZ)
AN MMA FIGHT
HOW TO JUDGE
Shorter clips
Time to warm up:
Watch these sequences and pick a winner using the MMA judging criteria.
WHO WON THIS EXCHANGE?
Judges say...
Part 2
Longer clips
Now, let's stretch your legs a bit. Here are longer clips to get you ready for full rounds. Again, choose the winner based on the MMA judging criteria.
START THE QUIZ
continue quiz
Question 1/3
It's time to demystify the practice of MMA judging.
Online, there is more educational material about MMA judging than ever. And yet, week after week, confusion and anger ricochets around the internet about a score or series of scores in the cage.
How many times have viewers heard them and wondered how judges got there?
In this primer, MMA Fighting aims to pull back the curtain on judging to give you more understanding on how fights are really scored. Then we want you to practice with video clips. You will choose a
winner in several sequences that illustrate common judging situations, eventually building up to scoring a full round.
Throughout the process, you'll put your picks against the pros. Working MMA judges will give their rationale behind that score so you can see how you stack up. You'll get an inside look at how the criteria is being applied by the people who, week after week, judge the biggest MMA fights in the world.
Now for a disclaimer: The judges have been anonymized so that readers can focus on the concepts at work rather than the names attached to a particular score and explanation. As specific as the criteria aims to be, judges experienced and novice will bring their own experiences to the table. There is subjectivity in the process, debate within the officials community, and constant education on the
finer points of the criteria.
This primer is about making everyone better with the process, not about catching anyone in a contradiction in a sport that's difficult at times to interpret.
Critics repeatedly blame the 10-point must system for the shortcomings of MMA scoring. They
argue it's too blunt an instrument for all the subtleties of a multi-dimensional sport. There's certainly a case to be made for that, but just as important is that we all understand how to
evaluate the action in the cage - what we're looking at and the framework for judging provided by the criteria.
If you want to become a more astute judge of MMA fights, you should continue to educate yourself on the sport. You should also understand that no system is perfect. Reasonable people may have differences of opinion in how important certain actions are and disagree on scores. That does not mean they are corrupt, or the system is broken. It means the job is very difficult, and they are
boiling down a huge amount of information into a single metric in a relatively short period of time.
The goal of this primer is not necessarily to completely eliminate subjectivity, because that's impossible. Instead, it's to give additional knowledge so that a reliable consensus can be reached. Judges pro and amateur will never see completely eye to eye, particularly when they have a different physical vantage point. Scoring a fight at home is vastly different than doing it cageside, where the enviroment
complicates the process. The goal is that, more often than not, the majority get it right.
Fighters deserve that much.
So, how do you pick a winner from an MMA fight when fighters use dozens of techniques, often
blending them seamlessly in a matter of seconds? Are certain moves valued more highly than
others? Do you keep a tally of them, adding and subtracting as a round progresses?
Scoring implies a count. In ball sports, that's easy: the ball goes in, and you award a point.
MMA, on the other hand, uses the 10-point must system. In most rounds, the winner gets 10 points
and the loser gets nine points or less, a system borrowed from boxing. Unlike boxing, however,
there are no set values for certain outcomes. MMA fighters aren't necessarily awarded a 10-8 score
for knocking down their opponent during a round.
There is no inherent value to a punch or kick or submission hold. So how do you "count" them?
The answer lies in the impact they have on the fight. A judge has to weigh the quality of those
techniques – what effect they have on the impacted fighter – in addition to how many of them
there are. It is both a qualitative and quantitative process.
Impact is another word for damage, whether that's from cumulative or immediate damage.
The fighter who impacts their opponent more is the more effective fighter and wins the round.
From a judge's perspective, MMA is an offense-based sport. Fighters get credit for the impact
they have using legal striking and grappling techniques. They do not get credit for defense.
Even if a fighter stops a takedown 10 times, they only get credit for any impactful techniques
they execute on their opponent during that time.
In MMA scoring, techniques that have an immediate impact are favored over those that have a
cumulative impact. A single big punch that produces a visible effect (such as a fighter wobbling)
is more valuable than 10 lesser punches over time. The same goes when a fight moves between
ranges. A fighter may outgrapple their opponent for three minutes of a round, but if they absorb significant damage via strikes in the final two minutes, they will lose the frame.
At the end of the round, a judge decides which fighter's techniques had greater impact, or which fighter came closer to finishing the fight. The most common options are 10-10, 10-9, a 10-8,
or a 10-7.
Think of it like a pendulum, where the distance between the ball and the center point determines the
tally. Or think of it like a tug of war: The distance between opposing fighters and the center line
is the measure for a 10-9, a 10-8 or a 10-7 and beyond.
The measurements are not hard and fast – that's where interpretation and subjectivity come in –
and the tug-of-war goes on until a round ends, meaning every technique has the potential to
swing momentum and change a score. That's where the quality of your attention plays a big part. You must be focused to all of the action between the opening and closing bell, and you must be
open to the possibility that scores can shift from moment to moment. MMA judging is a
participatory process, and your job is to track that push and pull between fighters for the entire round.
Now, you have no more than 30 seconds to make the call; the commission is coming around to take your scorecard. They don't want to wait. Ready?
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
A Quick Refresher on MMA Judging Criteria
Click scores below
to reveal criteria
A 10 – 10 round in MMA is when both fighters have competed for whatever duration of time in the round, and there is no difference or advantage between either fighter.”
A 10 – 10 round in MMA should be extremely rare and is not a score to be used as an excuse by a judge that cannot assess the differences in the round. A 10– 10 round in MMA is a necessity to have for the judge’s possible score, mainly due to scoring incomplete rounds.
It is possible to have a round where both fighters engage for 5 minutes, and at the end of the 5-minute time period the output, impact, effectiveness and overall competition between the two fighters is exactly the same. It is possible, but highly unlikely. If there is any discernable difference between the two fighters during the round the judge shall not give the score of 10 – 10. Again, this score will be extremely rare.
Back
A 10 – 8 Round in MMA is where one fighter wins the round by a large margin. A 10 – 8 round in MMA is not the most common score a judge will render, but it is absolutely essential to the evolution of the sport and the fairness to the fighters that judges understand and effectively utilize the score of 10 – 8.
A score of 10 – 8 does not require a fighter to dominate their opponent for 5 minutes of a round. The score of 10 – 8 is utilized by the judge when the judge sees verifiable actions on the part of either fighter. Judges shall ALWAYS give a score of 10 – 8 when the judge has established that one fighter has dominated the action of the round, had duration of the domination and also impacted their opponent with either effective strikes or effective grappling maneuvers that have diminished the abilities of their opponent. Judges must CONSIDER giving the score of 10 – 8 when a fighter shows dominance in the round even though no impactful scoring against the opponent was achieved.
Back
Back
A 10 – 9 Round in MMA is where one combatant wins the round by a close margin.”
A 10 – 9 round in MMA is the most common score a judge assesses during the night. If, during the round, the judge sees a fighter land the better strikes, or utilize effective grappling during the competition, even if by just one technique over their opponent, the judge shall give the winning fighter a score of 10 while assessing the losing fighter a score of 9 or less. It is imperative that judges understand that a score of 9 is not an automatic numerical score given to the losing fighter of the round.
The judge must consider: Was the fighter engaged in offensive actions during the round? Did the losing fighter compete with an attitude of attempting to win the fight, or just to survive the offensive actions of their opponent? A score of 10 – 9 can reflect an extremely close round or a round of marginal domination and/or impact.
A 10 – 7 Round in MMA is when a fighter completely overwhelms their opponent in Effective Striking and/or Grappling and stoppage is warranted.
A 10 – 7 round in MMA is a score that judges will rarely give. It takes both overwhelming DOMINANCE of a round, but also significant IMPACT that, at times, cause the judge to consider that the fight could be stopped.
Judges shall look for multiple IMPACTFUL blows or knockdowns that diminish the fighter, and/or grappling maneuvers that place the fighter in dominant situations with impact being inflicted that visibly diminishes the fighter’s ability to compete.
Back
Question 2/3
Red Corner
Blue Corner
Question 2/3
Question 2/3
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Credible attack with guillotine and a triangle attempt that Red Corner had to defend.
judges say...
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 2/3
Judges say...
Blue Corner's credible attack with a guillotine choke and a triangle attempt that Red Corner had to defend win the exchange.
Go to next question...
Red Corner
Question 3/3
Who won this exchange?
Who won this exchange?
Blue Corner
Question 3/3
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
The Blue Corner was closer to ending the fight, all things considered.
judges say...
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 3/3
Judges say...
The Blue Corner was closer to ending the fight, all things considered.
Go to next question...
continue quiz
You made it! Now for the real challenge: scoring a full round. You will have 30 seconds to deliver a score (There is a one-minute break between rounds, but judges are supposed to hand in their cards as soon as the commission official reaches their position).
Good luck!
Full Rounds
Part 3
Written and designed by
Steven Marrocco
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Choose
Red orBlue
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
A close round, but Luna takes it 10-9. Wins the first half of round by mixing up strikes, landing hard shots to the head, mixing in leg kicks and body shots. Midway through round, Hernandez starts to come back, landing really good shots at Luna's head. Near the end of round, pace starts to affect Hernandez, even though he is landing decent shots throughout the round. Luna again starts to find a home for right hand to head. In totality, he wins round for having the more impactful blows that have more effect on opponent.
Go to next question...
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
A close round, but Luna takes it 10-9. Wins the first half of round by mixing up strikes, landing hard shots to the head, mixing in leg kicks and body shots. Midway through round, Hernandez starts to come back, landing really good shots at Luna's head. Near the end of round, pace starts to affect Hernandez, even though he is landing decent shots throughout the round. Luna again starts to find a home for right hand to head. In totality, he wins round for having the more impactful blows that have more effect on opponent.
Go to next question...
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Carvalho gets ahead in the first minute of the round with strong body kick and strong combos. Larkin stalls it out for majority of round until last minute or so, where Carvalho adds to his lead. Clean longer range attacks from Carvalho, including a few solid jabs and right hands, and an effective head kick, compared to the dirty boxing and clinch work from Larkin. Larkin may have landed more strikes overall, but Carvalho's longer range strikes had more impact for 10-9 score.
Go to next question...
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
Razor close due to second half Carlos coming back. However, Ward power is just enough to offset late rally from Carlos and earn the 10-9. Significant strikes landed by Ward throughout the round with little offence from Carlos until the final minute. Heavy right hands, hooks, low kicks and jabs to the body. Carlos hurts Ward at the end of the round, but its not quite enough to steal the round. If he had dropped Ward then it would be 10-9 Carlos.
Go to next question...
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
Carvalho gets ahead in the first minute of the round with strong body kick and strong combos. Larkin stalls it out for majority of round until last minute or so, where Carvalho adds to his lead. Clean longer range attacks from Carvalho, including a few solid jabs and right hands, and an effective head kick, compared to the dirty boxing and clinch work from Larkin. Larkin may have landed more strikes overall, but Carvalho's longer range strikes had more impact for 10-9 score.
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Razor close due to second half Carlos coming back. However, Ward power is just enough to offset late rally from Carlos and earn the 10-9. Significant strikes landed by Ward throughout the round with little offence from Carlos until the final minute. Heavy right hands, hooks, low kicks and jabs to the body. Carlos hurts Ward at the end of the round, but its not quite enough to steal the round. If he had dropped Ward then it would be 10-9 Carlos.
Go to next question...
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Up until Storley takedown at 3:30 of round, Page clearly ahead with a few strikes and nothing back from Storley. At 2:00 mark, Storley controls Page for the last 1:30 but does zero damage, and Page is still ahead, his stand up clearly more effective than Storley's control thus far. Is the grappling for 3:30 more effective than the 1:30 of the striking portion. Since both are scored equally when effective, and none of the strikes from Page were damaging, this round is scored 10-9 Storley.
Go to next page...
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
Up until Storley takedown at 3:30 of round, Page clearly ahead with a few strikes and nothing back from Storley. At 2:00 mark, Storley controls Page for the last 1:30 but does zero damage, and Page is still ahead, his stand up clearly more effective than Storley's control thus far. Is the grappling for 3:30 more effective than the 1:30 of the striking portion. Since both are scored equally when effective, and none of the strikes from Page were damaging, this round is scored 10-9 Storley.
Go to next page...
Thanks for taking the quiz!
Questions? mmafightingsteven@gmail.com
Special thanks: All the judges who generously donated their time, Jeff Mullen, Andy Foster, Michael Mazzulli, Danny Brenner, Manali Doshi, Eric Jackman, Bryan Tucker
Choose
Red orBlue
Choose
Red orBlue
Choose
Red orBlue
continue quiz
Now, let's stretch your legs a bit. Here are longer clips to get you ready for full rounds. Again, choose the winner based on the MMA judging criteria.
Longer clips
Part 2
continue quiz
Part 3
You made it! Now for the real challenge: scoring a full round. You will have 30 seconds to deliver a score (There is a one-minute break between rounds, but judges are supposed to hand in their cards as soon as the commission official reaches their position).
Good luck!
Full Rounds
10-10
Choose
Red orBlue
10-9
10-8
10-7
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
A close round, but Luna takes it 10-9. Wins the first half of round by mixing up strikes, landing hard shots to the head, mixing in leg kicks and body shots. Midway through round, Hernandez starts to come back, landing really good shots at Luna's head. Near the end of round, pace starts to affect Hernandez, even though he is landing decent shots throughout the round. In totality, he wins round for having the more impactful blows that have more effect on opponent.
Go to next question...
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
A close round, but Luna takes it 10-9. Wins the first half of round by mixing up strikes, landing hard shots to the head, mixing in leg kicks and body shots. Midway through round, Hernandez starts to come back, landing really good shots at Luna's head. Near the end of round, pace starts to affect Hernandez, even though he is landing decent shots throughout the round. In totality, he wins round for having the more impactful blows that have more effect on opponent.
Go to next question...
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Choose
Red orBlue
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
Razor close due to second half Carlos coming back. However, Ward power is just enough to offset late rally from Carlos and earn the 10-9. Significant strikes landed by Ward throughout the round with little offence from Carlos until the final minute. Heavy right hands, hooks, low kicks and jabs to the body. Carlos hurts Ward at the end of the round, but its not quite enough to steal the round. If he had dropped Ward then it would be 10-9 Carlos.
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Razor close due to second half Carlos coming back. However, Ward power is just enough to offset late rally from Carlos and earn the 10-9. Significant strikes landed by Ward throughout the round with little offence from Carlos until the final minute. Heavy right hands, hooks, low kicks and jabs to the body. Carlos hurts Ward at the end of the round, but its not quite enough to steal the round. If he had dropped Ward then it would be 10-9 Carlos.
Go to next question...
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Choose
Red orBlue
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Carvalho gets ahead in the first minute of the round with strong body kick and strong combos. Larkin stalls it out for majority of round until last minute or so, where Carvalho adds to his lead. Clean longer range attacks from Carvalho, including a few solid jabs and right hands, and an effective head kick, compared to the dirty boxing and clinch work from Larkin. Larkin may have landed more strikes overall, but Carvalho's longer range strikes had more impact for 10-9 score.
Go to next question...
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
Carvalho gets ahead in the first minute of the round with strong body kick and strong combos. Larkin stalls it out for majority of round until last minute or so, where Carvalho adds to his lead. Clean longer range attacks from Carvalho, including a few solid jabs and right hands, and an effective head kick, compared to the dirty boxing and clinch work from Larkin. Larkin may have landed more strikes overall, but Carvalho's longer range strikes had more impact for 10-9 score.
Go to next question...
10-10
10-9
10-8
10-7
Choose
Red orBlue
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Up until Storley takedown at 3:30 of round, Page clearly ahead with a few strikes and nothing back from Storley. At 2:00 mark, Storley controls Page for the last 1:30 but does zero damage, and Page is still ahead, his stand up clearly more effective than Storley's control thus far. Is the grappling for 3:30 more effective than the 1:30 of the striking portion. Since both are scored equally when effective, and none of the strikes from Page were damaging, this round is scored 10-9 Storley.
Go to next page...
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Judges say...
Up until Storley takedown at 3:30 of round, Page clearly ahead with a few strikes and nothing back from Storley. At 2:00 mark, Storley controls Page for the last 1:30 but does zero damage, and Page is still ahead, his stand up clearly more effective than Storley's control thus far. Is the grappling for 3:30 more effective than the 1:30 of the striking portion. Since both are scored equally when effective, and none of the strikes from Page were damaging, this round is scored 10-9 Storley.
Go to next page...
HOW TO JUDGE
AN MMA FIGHT
(WITH QUIZ)
Written and designed by
Steven Marrocco
presents
Part 1
Shorter clips
Time to warm up:
Watch these sequences and pick a winner using the MMA judging criteria.
Question 1/3
WHO WON THIS EXCHANGE?
BLUE CORNER
Red CORNER
Question 1/3
Hurrah!
That is the
correct answer!
Last-second punch has immediate impact and overcomes the strikes
he took earlier in the exchange.
Judges say...
Go to next question...
Question 1/3
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say....
The blue corner lands several solid strikes, but the red corner's last-second punch produces a near-knockout, winning the exchange.
Go to next question...
Question 2/3
WHO WON THIS EXCHANGE?
Red Corner
Blue Corner
Question 2/3
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
Red Corner briefly puts Blue Corner on canvas, but it's not enough to overcome punches absorbed.
Go to next question...
Question 2/3
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Blue Corner's punches overcome Red Corner's takedown.
Judges say...
Go to next question...
Question 2/3
Question 3/3
WHO WON THIS EXCHANGE?
Blue corner
Red Corner
Question 3/3
Great Job!
That is the
correct answer!
Red Corner's ground and pound narrowly overcomes choke attempt.
Judges say...
Go to next question...
Question 3/3
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Judges say...
The Red Corner's ground and pound overcomes the Blue Corner's choke attempt.
Go to next question...
Question 1/3
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Damage and effect favor the Red Corner.
judges say...
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 1/3
Judges say...
Damage and effect favor the Red Corner.
Go to next question...
Who won this exchange?
Question 1/ 3
Question 1/3
Blue Corner
Red Corner
Who won this exchange?
Question 2/3
Blue Corner
Red Corner
Question 2/3
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
Credible attack with guillotine and a triangle attempt that Red Corner had to defend.
judges say...
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 2/3
Judges say...
Blue Corner's credible attack with a guillotine choke and a triangle attempt that Red Corner had to defend win the exchange.
Go to next question...
Who won this exchange?
Question 3/3
Red Corner
Blue Corner
Question 3/3
Right On!
That is the
correct answer!
The Blue Corner was closer to ending the fight, all things considered.
judges say...
Go to next question...
Oops!
Sorry that is the
wrong answer!
Question 3/3
Judges say...
The Blue Corner was closer to ending the fight, all things considered.
Go to next question...
Templates - Tech Quiz
1024px x 5820px
To achieve the cascading text effect in this section, we created four different text boxes and then used a "Fade in Up" animation with a small delay difference between the objects.
Pro tip: Easily copy and paste animations by right clicking on the animated object and selecting "Copy Animation".
Each question is made up of 3 different layer groups - 1 for content, 1 for if they answer the question correctly, and 1 for if they get the question wrong. Simply set up the hotspots to show the "wrong" layer group for the incorrect answers, and the "correct" layer group for the right answers.
We used a final hotspot with a unique interaction to reset the quiz. To accomplish this we have an interaction to show all of the "Content" layers, and hide all of the "Correct" and "Wrong" layers.
Once you create one question, you can easliy duplicate it for the other sections by selecting all of the elements in the layers panel and use the keyboard shortcut CMD + C to copy and CMD + V to paste.
START THE QUIZ
A Quick Refresher on
MMA Judging Criteria
Click scores below
to reveal criteria
Thanks for taking the quiz!
Questions? Complaints? mmafightingsteven@gmail.com
Special thanks: All the judges who generously donated their time, Jeff Mullen, Andy Foster, Michael Mazzulli, Danny Brenner, Manali Doshi, Nat Belkov, Eric Jackman, Bryan Tucker
Share This
Try Again
It's time to demystify the practice of MMA judging.
Online, there is more educational material about MMA judging than ever. And yet, week after week, confusion and anger ricochets around the internet about a score or series of scores in the cage. How many times have viewers heard them and wondered how judges got there?
In this primer, MMA Fighting aims to pull back the
curtain on judging to give you more understanding on how fights are really scored. Then we want you to
practice with video clips. You will choose a winner in
several sequences that illustrate common judging
situations, eventually building up to scoring a full
round.
Throughout the process, you'll put your picks against
the pros. Working MMA judges will give their rationale behind that score so you can see how you stack up. You'll get an inside look at how the criteria is being applied by the people who, week after week, judge the biggest MMA fights in the world.
Now for a disclaimer: The judges have been
anonymized so that readers can focus on the concepts at work rather than the names attached to a particular score and explanation. As specific as the
criteria aims to be, judges experienced and novice will bring their own experiences to the table.
There is subjectivity in the process, debate within the officials community, and constant education on the finer points of the criteria.
This primer is about making everyone better with
the process, not about catching anyone in a
contradiction in a sport that's difficult at times
to interpret.
Critics repeatedly blame the 10-point must system for the shortcomings of MMA scoring. They
argue it's too blunt an instrument for all the subtleties of a multi-dimensional sport. There's certainly a case to be made for that, but just as important is that we all understand how to
evaluate the action in the cage - what we're looking at and the framework for judging provided by the criteria.
If you want to become a more astute judge of MMA fights, you should continue to educate yourself on the sport. You should also understand that no system is perfect. Reasonable people may have differences of opinion in how important certain actions are and disagree on scores. That does not mean they are corrupt, or the system is broken. It It means the job is very difficult, and they are
boiling down a huge amount of information into a single metric in a relatively short period of time.
The goal of this primer is not necessarily to completely eliminate subjectivity, because that's impossible. Instead, it's to give additional knowledge so that a reliable consensus can be reached. Judges pro and amateur will never see completely eye to eye, particularly when they have a different physical vantage point. Scoring a fight at home is vastly different than doing it cageside, where the enviroment complicates the process. The goal is that, more often than not, the majority get it right.
Fighters deserve that much.
****
So, how do you pick a winner from an MMA fight when fighters use dozens of techniques, often
blending them seamlessly in a matter of seconds? Are certain moves valued more highly than
others? Do you keep a tally of them, adding and subtracting as a round progresses?
Scoring implies a count. In most ball sports, that's easy: the ball goes in, and you award a point.
MMA, on the other hand, uses the 10-point must system. In most rounds, the winner gets 10 points
and the loser gets nine points or less, a system borrowed from boxing. Unlike boxing, however,
there are no set values for certain outcomes. MMA fighters aren't necessarily awarded a 10-8 score
for knocking down their opponent during a round.
There is no inherent value to a punch or kick or submission hold. So how do you "count" them?
The answer lies in the impact they have on the fight. A judge has to weigh the quality of those techniques – what effect they have on the impacted fighter – in addition to how many of them there are. It is both a qualitative and quantitative process.
Impact is another word for damage, whether that's from cumulative or immediate damage. The fighter who impacts their opponent more is the more effective fighter and wins the round.
From a judge's perspective, MMA is an offense-based sport. Fighters get credit for the impact they have using legal striking and grappling techniques. They do not get credit for defense. Even if a fighter stops a takedown 10 times, they only get credit for any impactful techniques they execute on their
opponent during that time.
In MMA scoring, techniques that have an immediate impact are favored over those that have a
cumulative impact. A single big punch that produces a visible effect (such as a fighter wobbling) is more valuable than 10 lesser punches over time. The same goes when a fight moves between ranges. A fighter may outgrapple their opponent for three minutes of a round, but if
they absorb significant damage via strikes in the final two minutes, they will lose the frame.
At the end of the round, a judge decides which fighter's techniques had greater impact, or which fighter came closer to finishing the fight. The most common options are 10-10, 10-9, a 10-8,
or a 10-7.
Think of it like a pendulum, where the distance between the ball and the center point determines the tally. Or think of it like a tug of war: The distance between opposing fighters and the center line is the measure for a 10-9, a 10-8 or a 10-7 and beyond.
The measurements are not hard and fast – that's where interpretation and subjectivity come in –
and the tug-of-war goes on until a round ends, meaning every technique has the potential to
swing momentum and change a score. That's where the quality of your attention plays a big part. You must be focused to all of the action between the opening and closing bell, and you must be
open to the possibility that scores can shift from moment to moment. MMA judging is a
participatory process, and your job is to track that push and pull between fighters for the entire round.
Now, you have no more than 30 seconds to make the call; the commission is coming around to take your scorecard. They don't want to wait. Ready?
A 10 – 7 Round in MMA is when a fighter completely overwhelms their opponent in Effective Striking and/or Grappling and stoppage is warranted.
A 10 – 7 round in MMA is a score that judges will rarely give. It takes both overwhelming DOMINANCE of a round, but also significant IMPACT that, at times, cause the judge to consider that the fight could be stopped.
Judges shall look for multiple IMPACTFUL blows or knockdowns that diminish the fighter, and/or grappling maneuvers that place the fighter in dominant situations with impact being inflicted that visibly diminishes the fighter’s ability to compete.
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10-7
A 10 – 8 Round in MMA is where one fighter wins the round by a large margin. A 10 – 8 round in MMA is not the most common score a judge will render, but it is absolutely essential to the evolution of the sport and the fairness to the fighters that judges understand and effectively utilize the score of 10 – 8.
A score of 10 – 8 does not require a fighter to dominate their opponent for 5 minutes of a round. The score of 10 – 8 is utilized by the judge when the judge sees verifiable actions on the part of either fighter. Judges shall ALWAYS give a score of 10 – 8 when the judge has established that one fighter has dominated the action of the round, had duration of the domination and also impacted their opponent with either effective strikes or effective grappling maneuvers that have diminished the abilities of their opponent. Judges must CONSIDER giving the score of 10 – 8 when a fighter shows dominance in the round even though no impactful scoring against the opponent was achieved.
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10-8
A 10 – 9 Round in MMA is where one combatant wins the round by a close margin.
A 10 – 9 round in MMA is the most common score a judge assesses during the night. If, during the round, the judge sees a fighter land the better strikes, or utilize effective grappling during the competition, even if by just one technique over their opponent, the judge shall give the winning fighter a score of 10 while assessing the losing fighter a score of 9 or less. It is imperative that judges understand that a score of 9 is not an automatic numerical score given to the losing fighter of the round.
The judge must consider: Was the fighter engaged in offensive actions during the round? Did the losing fighter compete with an attitude of attempting to win the fight, or just to survive the offensive actions of their opponent? A score of 10 – 9 can reflect an extremely close round or a round of marginal domination and/or impact.
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10-9
A 10 – 10 round in MMA is when both fighters have competed for whatever duration of time in the round, and there is no difference or advantage between either fighter.”
A 10 – 10 round in MMA should be extremely rare and is not a score to be used as an excuse by a judge that cannot assess the differences in the round. A 10– 10 round in MMA is a necessity to have for the judge’s possible score, mainly due to scoring incomplete rounds.
It is possible to have a round where both fighters engage for 5 minutes, and at the end of the 5-minute time period the output, impact, effectiveness and overall competition between the two fighters is exactly the same. It is possible, but highly unlikely. If there is any discernable difference between the two fighters during the round the judge shall not give the score of 10 – 10. Again, this score will be extremely rare.
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10-10