Could Open Point System revolutionise the UFC? Erik Magraken shares some light on it
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Erik Magraken on MMA Scoring
Erik Magraken is the proprietor of combatsportslaw.com, a licensed MMA judge, litigation attorney, and expert in combat sports law. He has recently made news for the advocation of the open point system.
Scorecard disputes have historically plagued combat sports, and mixed martial arts is no different. Given the multiple elements utilized to score MMA fights, such as effective aggression, ground dominance, and cage management, it’s an unavoidable truth. Because these metrics are variable, judges regularly issue different scores to the same fight. One option suggested to help decrease this variable is the open point system.
The traditional method of judging mixed martial arts tournaments is for judges to score each round separately. This leaves boxers and their corners guessing who will win each round. An open-scoring system would require judges to reveal their results for each round as the fight progressed. It’s a huge advantage for fighters since it tells them when to step up their game to make up for missed rounds.
An Advocate for Open Point System: Erik Magraken
Erik Magraken recently tweeted about meeting a renowned UFC commentator and discussing open scoring. He does not reveal the name because he fears repercussions. Erik also hopes that the rest of the commentators would come to their senses regarding the same.
Erik Magraken further goes on a Twitter rant while advocating for the same. He claims that 80 percent of fighters would prefer open scoring and that going against this system by citing “I enjoy surprises” is not compelling enough, especially in a sport when an athlete’s win and possible contract are on the line. He then compares it to not wanting balls and strikes called in baseball.
Erik goes on to say that, contrary to popular assumption, scientific data shows that the winning combatant would not cruise to victory. In his tweet, he also included a link to the study.
Erik goes on to say, “Almost every other argument against is a quality of judging point. Totally separate conversation.”
Erik Magraken has made a compelling argument for an open point system. What do you think, are you for or against it?
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Angelin Dsouza
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