Did the judges ‘rob’ Alan Belcher at UFC 100 with Yoshihiro Akiyama decision win?

Ringside announcer Joe Rogan thought so, voicing his disappointment during the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast and following it up on his Twitter.com page in all caps:

“Alan Belcher got ******* ROBBED.”

“The Talent” and “Sexyama” went toe-to-toe for three fulls in their middleweight showdown at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, last night (July 11, 2009). It was an exciting back-and-forth battle with both fighters exchanging several hard shots

STORY

I thought it was close and that Belcher might get the nod, but I wasn't too shocked about the decision.

Fightmetric gave it to Akiyama 29-28

My thoughts if I were a judge, mentally flip a coin. That fight was to close to call, but the one judge who had it 30-27 must be on dope

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Posted by zephead

My thoughts if I were a judge, mentally flip a coin. That fight was to close to call, but the one judge who had it 30-27 must be on dope

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Agreed. I thought it was really close and though I would have personally scored it a victory for Belcher, I wasn't upset that it went to Sexiyama.

Belcher was kinda robbed. I don't disagree with the 2 29-28 scores, I felt it was a close fight that could've gone either way (I had it a close 29-28 Belcher, Akiyama won round 2 on my card), but my biggest beef is still with Adelaide Byrd, the judge who scored it 30-27 Akiyama. No way it was that much in Akiyama's favor.

It could have went either way. What was crazy was how much bigger Belcher was than Sexyama.

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Posted by DCRage

Belcher was kinda robbed. I don't disagree with the 2 29-28 scores, I felt it was a close fight that could've gone either way (I had it a close 29-28 Belcher, Akiyama won round 2 on my card), but my biggest beef is still with Adelaide Byrd, the judge who scored it 30-27 Akiyama. No way it was that much in Akiyama's favor.

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The party that I was at everybody yelled when the 30-27 was announced. That was a very close fight

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Posted by zephead

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Posted by DCRage

Belcher was kinda robbed. I don't disagree with the 2 29-28 scores, I felt it was a close fight that could've gone either way (I had it a close 29-28 Belcher, Akiyama won round 2 on my card), but my biggest beef is still with Adelaide Byrd, the judge who scored it 30-27 Akiyama. No way it was that much in Akiyama's favor.

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The party that I was at everybody yelled when the 30-27 was announced. That was a very close fight

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Very close fight indeed. 30-27 was insane.
I score the bout 29-28 Akiyama.
I think this dec. was the best, that the 10-9 scoring system can provide except the 30-27, that should have been 29-28.

Pretty good dec IMO.


Edit:
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The judge that scored 30-27, Adalaide Byrd is known for her disputable scoring:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/apr/20/boxing.kevinmitchell ( Calzaghe vs. Hopkins)

http://ballhype.com/story/ufc_86_match_by_match_coverage/ (Griffin vs. Jackson at UFC 86)

I had it 29-28 Akiyama but either way I wouldn't have been surprised, when you leave a fight that close you have no room to complain.

I think by the Dream scoring system Belcher would have took it But under the UFC scoring I had Sexy winning rounds 1 and 2 and Belcher took round 3.

People only think Belcher got robbed because he dominated the last round so that was fresh in people's minds, they forget that Akiyama won rounds 1 and 2.

Akiyama got dropped in rd 1, and the stand up was even with Akiyama scoring one take down......In my book i think a knock down out weighs a takedown so i would have given rd 1 to Belcher......Akiyama definately won rd 2, and i think Belcher easliy takes rd 3........I think the takedown has way to much impact on the outcome of some of these fights.......IMO Belcher got robbed.....

Didn't Akiyama knock Belcher down with a right in the third, and he also scored a take down. I had Akiyama with a split. I watched the fight with about 28 people and we all agreed on the split for Akiyama. Besides they both got a 100k bonus I'm sure this close loss doesn't hurt that bad for Alan.

Of course he got robbed, I picked Akiyama and really wanted him to win and I thought it was obvious he lost. There is no way he won more than one round if even that.

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Posted by wrona666

Akiyama got dropped in rd 1, and the stand up was even with Akiyama scoring one take down......In my book i think a knock down out weighs a takedown so i would have given rd 1 to Belcher......Akiyama definately won rd 2, and i think Belcher easliy takes rd 3........I think the takedown has way to much impact on the outcome of some of these fights.......IMO Belcher got robbed.....

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In the replay - it was more of a slip or an awkward footing knockdown- belcher knew that sexy wasnt hurt that is why he did not attack after the "Knock down"
I felt the fight was a coin flip - HOWEVER- we already know that they are trying open up Japan for more $$$ and shows... in a close fight of course they will give it to Akiyama- ie "Bisbing for england"

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

Didn't Akiyama knock Belcher down with a right in the third, and he also scored a take down. I had Akiyama with a split. I watched the fight with about 28 people and we all agreed on the split for Akiyama. Besides they both got a 100k bonus I'm sure this close loss doesn't hurt that bad for Alan.

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You do know that an individual cannot score a split, right? You can predict that he will get a split decision, but you cannot score it a split.

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Posted by Cdellorso

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Posted by wrona666

Akiyama got dropped in rd 1, and the stand up was even with Akiyama scoring one take down......In my book i think a knock down out weighs a takedown so i would have given rd 1 to Belcher......Akiyama definately won rd 2, and i think Belcher easliy takes rd 3........I think the takedown has way to much impact on the outcome of some of these fights.......IMO Belcher got robbed.....

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In the replay - it was more of a slip or an awkward footing knockdown- belcher knew that sexy wasnt hurt that is why he did not attack after the "Knock down"
I felt the fight was a coin flip - HOWEVER- we already know that they are trying open up Japan for more $$$ and shows... in a close fight of course they will give it to Akiyama- ie "Bisbing for england"

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the decision by the judges was stupid not crooked, Dana has no say on the judges or what they do

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Posted by grappler0000

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

Didn't Akiyama knock Belcher down with a right in the third, and he also scored a take down. I had Akiyama with a split. I watched the fight with about 28 people and we all agreed on the split for Akiyama. Besides they both got a 100k bonus I'm sure this close loss doesn't hurt that bad for Alan.

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You do know that an individual cannot score a split, right? You can predict that he will get a split decision, but you cannot score it a split.

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The decision of the fight was Akiyama by split decision, I was simply saying that everyone watching the fight with me agreed with the judges. I am well versed on how the judging, and the lack of judging works in MMA, and other combative sports.

no it wasn't. it was a unanimous decision. All 3 scored it for Akiyama, just one judge gave him all 3 rounds. A split decision is when 1 judge goes for a different fighter.

FWIW, I had Akiyama winning 29-28. I felt it was dead even in round 1 right up until the takedown at the end with the couple of shots landed. He won round 2 undisputably, and Belcher won 3 undisputably.

Akiyama definately won the fight 29-28. I knew Joe Rogan was bias when he said Belcher was training the rubber guard with his close friend Eddie Bravo! Rogan sucks! The UFC should get Bas Rutten!

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Posted by Wolf

no it wasn't. it was a unanimous decision. All 3 scored it for Akiyama, just one judge gave him all 3 rounds. A split decision is when 1 judge goes for a different fighter.

FWIW, I had Akiyama winning 29-28. I felt it was dead even in round 1 right up until the takedown at the end with the couple of shots landed. He won round 2 undisputably, and Belcher won 3 undisputably.

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Posted by Wolf

no it wasn't. it was a unanimous decision. All 3 scored it for Akiyama, just one judge gave him all 3 rounds. A split decision is when 1 judge goes for a different fighter.

FWIW, I had Akiyama winning 29-28. I felt it was dead even in round 1 right up until the takedown at the end with the couple of shots landed. He won round 2 undisputably, and Belcher won 3 undisputably.

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What the hell are you talking about?

One judge scored it 30-27 Akiyama
One judge scored it 29-28 Belcher
One judge scored it 29-28 Akiyama

It was a Split Decision, end of story.

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Posted by BarryScott

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Posted by Wolf

no it wasn't. it was a unanimous decision. All 3 scored it for Akiyama, just one judge gave him all 3 rounds. A split decision is when 1 judge goes for a different fighter.

FWIW, I had Akiyama winning 29-28. I felt it was dead even in round 1 right up until the takedown at the end with the couple of shots landed. He won round 2 undisputably, and Belcher won 3 undisputably.

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What the hell are you talking about?

One judge scored it 30-27 Akiyama
One judge scored it 29-28 Belcher
One judge scored it 29-28 Akiyama

It was a Split Decision, end of story.

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Thanks lol

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

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Posted by grappler0000

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

Didn't Akiyama knock Belcher down with a right in the third, and he also scored a take down. I had Akiyama with a split. I watched the fight with about 28 people and we all agreed on the split for Akiyama. Besides they both got a 100k bonus I'm sure this close loss doesn't hurt that bad for Alan.

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You do know that an individual cannot score a split, right? You can predict that he will get a split decision, but you cannot score it a split.

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The decision of the fight was Akiyama by split decision, I was simply saying that everyone watching the fight with me agreed with the judges. I am well versed on how the judging, and the lack of judging works in MMA, and other combative sports.

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How can you agree with the judges when they came to two different conclusions?

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Posted by grappler0000

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

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Posted by grappler0000

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

Didn't Akiyama knock Belcher down with a right in the third, and he also scored a take down. I had Akiyama with a split. I watched the fight with about 28 people and we all agreed on the split for Akiyama. Besides they both got a 100k bonus I'm sure this close loss doesn't hurt that bad for Alan.

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You do know that an individual cannot score a split, right? You can predict that he will get a split decision, but you cannot score it a split.

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The decision of the fight was Akiyama by split decision, I was simply saying that everyone watching the fight with me agreed with the judges. I am well versed on how the judging, and the lack of judging works in MMA, and other combative sports.

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How can you agree with the judges when they came to two different conclusions?

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I saw the fight being close enough to where it would warrant a split decision. I'm not meaning I'm schizophrenic and my personalities both came up with a different decision. I saw the fight as an extremely close fight. I saw Akiyama winning round 2 decisively and Alan having round three, I also believed round 1 could have went either way which in my mind justified the split.

When I watched the fight without commentary I scored it 30-27 for Yoshihiro.

After watching the fight a few times I have to say Akiyama won the fight in my opinion. Rounds 2 and 3 can't really be dissputed. Akiyama won round 2 and Belcher won round 3. The round that was a tough one to call was the first. I didn't believe the knock down meant much. It was a decent it but Akiyama was stepping back and tripped mostly and I though he pretty much took the rest of the round. I would have scored this fight 29-28 Akiyama. Although I wanted Belcher to win.

10-9 Akiyama (very close)
10-9 Akiyama
10-9 Belcher

30-27 wasn't egregious; the third round was very, very close and although I gave it to Belcher personally, giving it to Akiyama wasn't farfetched. If anything, scoring it 29-28 for Belcher was hard to fathom. Knocking down a fighter doesn't equal a 10-9 round, so I don't quite understand the "he knocked down Akiyama in the first, so despite Akiyama winning that round offensively Belcher won the round" idea.

The Compustrike numbers are more telling. While Joe Rogan spent the entire round talking about Belcher utilizing leg kicks, he failed to comment on how Akiyama basically won every exchange. This was no robbery.

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Posted by BarryScott


What the hell are you talking about?

One judge scored it 30-27 Akiyama
One judge scored it 29-28 Belcher
One judge scored it 29-28 Akiyama

It was a Split Decision, end of story.

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Whoops. Guess that's what I get for not looking back on the fight result to be sure. Maybe I should stop drinking beer while I watch so I remember that stuff better...

no, that's not going to happen.

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Posted by whardin19

After watching the fight a few times I have to say Akiyama won the fight in my opinion. Rounds 2 and 3 can't really be dissputed. Akiyama won round 2 and Belcher won round 3. The round that was a tough one to call was the first. I didn't believe the knock down meant much. It was a decent it but Akiyama was stepping back and tripped mostly and I though he pretty much took the rest of the round. I would have scored this fight 29-28 Akiyama. Although I wanted Belcher to win.

10-9 Akiyama (very close)
10-9 Akiyama
10-9 Belcher

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I agree with this summary, the first round was very close though, the 2nd and 3rd went to Sexy and Belcher respectively, I wasn't surprised by the decision but it was close one, good fight too very enjoyable

And to the earlier poster, Belcher did look way bigger, Akiyama acknowledged this in the promo vid about all the fighters in the UFC being big at the weight