What do you think about One FC carrying on Pride Fighting Championships’s tradition of scoring the fight on the whole? It seems that every One FC card there are a couple fights that I think should’ve swung the other way, like Eduard Folayang-Ole Laursen on the One FC 3 card. Why does every upstart organization in Asia imitate Pride? When will the nostalgia trip end? -- Jamie from London
With a new judging controversy popping up almost every weekend, it’s perplexing that a new organization like One FC would choose an even less transparent scoring system than the standard 10-9. If anything, promoters should be looking toward K-1-style open scoring to avoid judging blunders, rather than courting more controversy with hazy, non-numerical rulings.
I think there are a few reasons why upstarts like One FC and Dream have gone this route. First, Pride remains the most successful Asian MMA organization in the sport’s young history; trying to trace over their blueprint seems only natural. Second, and closely related, is the nostalgia that you mentioned. Not only do promoters like Victor Cui clearly revere Pride, they know there are many other like them. Though relatively small, they can bank on a rabid group of international fans who will salivate over anything labeled “Pride rules” -- even if they’re simultaneously irate about One FC using an impure western cage instead of a ring.
On the other hand, Sengoku tried using the 10-point must system, and look where that got them.
As for Folayang-Laursen, that was a straight-up crummy decision, regardless of the scoring criteria or lack thereof. Judged by the unified rules, I gave it to Folayang by a score of 29-28, with a razor-thin opening round just barely going in Laursen’s favor. Judging on the whole, I still felt Folayang did more to win, unless One FC’s rules include bonus points for waving your opponent on Nick Diaz-style after he hits you in the face. Anyone who hasn’t seen the fight can check it out here: http://youtu.be/Jb-BlkxdIJk
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