(PRESS RELEASE) -- At the forefront of mixed-martial-arts (MMA), the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) is taking another innovative approach when they plan to analyze MMA judging at the next Cage Fury Fighting Championship’s (CFFC) event this Halloween at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Credited with the creation of the “Unified Rules” of MMA used across the country, the NJSACB hopes that this new experiment will further the growth of MMA worldwide. This new approach came to fruition from personal observations made by Commissioner Larry Hazzard and Counsel Nick Lembo, feedback from licensed judges, comments from the media serving as shadow judges at events, and discussion with executives in the industry.
"I've often wondered if the hometown crowd and the limited viewing angles in which a judge sees the fight swayed the decision process,” stated CFFC CEO Robert Haydak Jr. “This is really going to be interesting whether the scoring remains the same or differs in any way.”
“This experiment, obviously in its first step of actual implementation, will provide data gathering by allowing the review and comparison of three experienced NJSACB judges' cage side scores, which will still be the official scores, with the scores of three experienced NJSACB judges in sound proof isolated rooms who will be viewing and scoring the fight on a large television monitor showing the actual broadcast without audio commentary,” continued in the statement released from the NJSACB exclusively to CFFC.
This isn’t the first time CFFC and the NJSACB worked collaboratively. Last year the NJSACB implemented instant replay on November 1, 2014 for the first time at CFFC 43. This was later used the night during the main event when Lyman Good inadvertently poked Jonavin Webb’s eye causing the
referee to stop the bout. Because of the instant replay showing the accidental foul, the bout was a ruled a no contest moments after the replay was viewed by the NJSACB that evening.
"We're fortunate in New Jersey to have such a proactive commission,” stated Haydak. “Nick and Larry have embraced this idea from the very beginning and are now spearheading the efforts to see it to fruition."
About Cage Fury Fighting Championships
Cage Fury Fighting Championships (www.cffc.tv) is a pioneer in bringing prominent and elite MMA talent to the East Coast. Since CFFC’s debut, past, and current champions have competed at the highest level. Before they were in the UFC, Jim and Dan Miller were both CFFC champions. That legacy remains the same today. Six recent CFFC champions, George Sullivan, Aljamain Sterling, Paul Felder, Jonavin Webb, Lyman Good, and Jimmie Rivera are currently on the UFC roster. Current UFC fighters Zach Makovsky, Nick Catone, Nah-Shon Burrell, John Howard, and Ron Stallings have also competed in CFFC prior to their entry to the UFC. Also, CFFC helped jumpstart the career of Internet fighting sensation Kimbo Slice, whose first foray into MMA came in the CFFC cage when he fought former boxing champion Ray “Merciless” Mercer. CFFC continues to thrive as one of the best regional promotions in the world while focusing on treating fighters with respect and giving the fans the ultimate MMA experience.