Joe Rogan has seen some questionable decisions in his years as a UFC commentator, but UFC 313 delivered one that had even him shaking his head. Mairon Santos stepped into the Octagon with a clear goal. In an interview ahead of the fight, he had proclaimed, “That’s the plan, leave the man unconscious on the ground.”

Francis Marshall, however, wasn’t there to play games. The fight was a war, with both men landing sharp shots and trading control. Marshall landed hard shots in the first, tested Santos’s chin in the second and landed crucial takedowns in the third. By the final bell, the crowd had seen a clear winner. But when Bruce Buffer read the scorecards, the arena erupted, not in cheers, but in boos.

The numbers told the story. Dereck Cleary scored it 30-27 for Marshall. Chris Lee and David Lethaby saw it 29-28 for Santos. How did two judges watch the same fight and come to such a different conclusion?

According to an update on X by Jed I. Goodman, “By the end of the fight Santos was +700 in live odds.” A rare sight signaling how lopsided the fight seemed. Commentator Jon Anik didn’t sugarcoat his reaction as he exclaimed, “trash decision”. Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier echoed his disbelief, as did the fans.

In a post on Instagram, ‘Verdict MMA’ shared, “The UFC 313 crowd were not happy with the decision between Santos and Marshall. No surprise, Marshall won every round on the Verdict Scorcard.” And yet, somehow, the judges disagreed.

Marshall had executed his game plan perfectly. He started strong, chopping Santos down with leg kicks before dropping him with a left hand. The second round was more of the same—controlled exchanges, crisp striking, and relentless pressure. By the third, Marshall knew what was working and stuck to it, securing another takedown and keeping Santos on his back. How, then, did Santos get his hand raised?

Joe Rogan and the crowd’s reaction to controversial decision re-ignites debate over judging in the UFC

Bad judging isn’t new in MMA, but moments like this reignite the debate. UFC 282 saw Paddy Pimblett awarded a win over Jared Gordon despite being outstruck and outgrappled. UFC Vegas 66 ended in confusion when Sean Strickland lost to Jared Cannonier, despite one judge giving him four out of five rounds.

These weren’t just close fights, they were decisions that left fighters, fans, and analysts stunned. The issue goes beyond individual fights. When controversial scorecards become routine, it raises serious concerns about the integrity of judging in MMA.

Are judges properly trained to assess modern MMA? Should there be more transparency in scoring? Open scoring, where fighters and fans see the scorecards live between rounds, has been suggested by many experts and veterans as a potential solution.

In the end, for Francis Marshall, this loss stings. He fought the perfect fight and still walked away empty-handed. For Mairon Santos, a win is a win—but when an entire arena boos your victory, does it really feel like one? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!