So, the dust settled on that Poirier vs Makhachev fight. What a night, eh? My brain was still buzzin’ the next mornin’. And you know me, after a big one like that, I get this itch. I gotta see how the judges saw it, round by round, especially leading up to that finish. It’s almost a compulsive thing at this point for me.
My Usual Hunt
First thing, I grab my coffee, still half-asleep, and plop down. Fired up the old laptop. My usual first stop is, well, a couple of the big MMA news sites. You know the ones. Sometimes they have ’em up pretty quick, especially for a title fight. So, I started clicking around, scrolling through the post-fight articles. Lots of fight breakdowns, highlights, sure, but the actual cards? Not always front and center right away, which can be a bit of a pain when you just want the raw data.
When the main sites didn’t immediately cough them up on their front pages, I then usually hop over to trusty old Reddit. The MMA subreddit is usually buzzing. Someone, somewhere, often digs ’em up and posts a picture if they’re available. So I’m searchin’ in there, typing in things like “Poirier Makhachev scorecards,” “UFC 302 judges,” “official scores Poirier Islam,” stuff like that. You gotta wade through a lot of opinions, memes, the usual internet chaos, haha, but sometimes gold is in there.
Digging for Gold
This time, for the Poirier vs Makhachev fight, it took a little bit of dedicated digging. Some sites were just talkin’ about who they thought won each round, you know, media scores and all that. That’s useful for discussion, but it’s not what I’m after in this particular quest. I want the official sheets, the ones that actually were being filled out cageside, the ones that would have decided the winner if it went the full five, or just to see how things were stacking up before the submission. It gives you a different perspective, I think.
I spent a good few minutes, probably fifteen or twenty, systematically going through search results, checking image tabs, and looking at links from reporters I follow on social media. Sometimes they’re the first to post a snapshot. You get a lot of “unofficial scorecard” graphics and fan polls, which isn’t quite the same thing.
The “Aha!” Moment
Finally, after pokin’ around for a bit, I hit paydirt. It was on one of the more dedicated MMA forums, linked from a tweet by a journalist. Someone had posted a clear image of the official Nevada State Athletic Commission scorecards. Bingo! There they were, all three judges, round by round laid out nice and clear. It’s always a bit of a “yes!” moment when you find ’em.
And then I just sit there for a few minutes, lookin’ ’em over. Judge Sal D’Amato, Judge Chris Lee, and Judge Ron McCarthy. It’s always interesting to see their names and then their scores.
- For Round 1: Two judges had it 10-9 Makhachev, one had it 10-9 Poirier. A split round to start.
- For Round 2: All three judges scored it 10-9 for Makhachev.
- For Round 3: Another split! Two judges for Poirier 10-9, one for Makhachev 10-9.
- For Round 4: All three judges again went 10-9 for Makhachev.
Even though Islam got the submission in the fifth, it’s fascinating to see how it was stacking up officially on each judge’s card. Makhachev was ahead on all cards: 39-37, 39-37, and 38-38 going into that final round. So, if Poirier won the fifth, it could have been a majority draw or a Makhachev win. Wild.
It’s not always about agreeing or disagreeing with the scores, though sometimes, yeah, you do scratch your head at some calls in other fights. For me, it’s more about gettin’ that complete picture, understanding the official narrative of the fight as it unfolded. It’s part of the whole fight experience for me, I guess. Just satisfyin’ that curiosity and adding another layer to the appreciation of the bout. What did you guys think of how it was scored before the end, if you got a chance to see them?
