Should the UFC Implement Open Scoring? The Jab, Cross, Hook Crew Discusses

The latest UFC main event, between Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira, sparked an age-old debate in the mixed martial arts community. Should there be open scoring?

Many people thought Holm won the fight, but the judges scorecards awarded the decision to Vieira. Holm fought defensively in the final rounds, thinking she has cruising to a victory. In an open scoring format, fighters would be made aware of what the judges scored each round at the conclusion of each round, instead of waiting for a decision at the end of the fight.

Should the UFC try open scoring? Would it help make more entertaining fights? What would it mean from a betting perspective?

Myself, Amy Kaplan, and Reed Wallach discussed it on this week's episode of Jab, Cross, Hook. I've timestamped the video below so you can listen to our discussion.

Pros to Open Scoring in the UFC

The main pro, and the reason that you see this debate get brought up time-and-time again, is that it could potentially make for more exciting fights. If a fighter is going into the last round, knowing for a fact that their only chance to win is to knockout or submit their opponent, that may make them fight more aggressively.

In Holly Holm's case, she wouldn't have fought as defensively as she did in the final round, knowing that the judges (correctly or not), had her losing on the scorecards. It would, in theory, give fighters no question as to what their strategy should be in the closing rounds.

Cons to Open Scoring in UFC

While you could argue that open scoring will make fighters who are losing fight more aggressively, the exact opposite argument could be made. If a fighter knows all they need to do is not get finished in the final round in order to win the fight, they may fight even more safe and conservative than what we've seen some fighters do.

It could, in the end, have the opposite effect that we hoped for and make some fighters even less-exciting.

You could also say that it makes for a less-enjoyable experience watching the fight. With no mystery as to how the judges are scoring it, there's no anticipation to hear the scorecards at the end of the fight. The could result in viewers turning it off before the final bell.

How Would Open Scoring Effect Live Betting?

For me, obviously, the most interesting question is how would open scoring effect live betting on fights?

I actually think it'd be a detractor. Right now, you can sometimes get some betting value if you think the judges are scoring the fight differently than how the oddsmakers are viewing it. Or, you can always sprinkle on a big underdog and hope that the judges make a terrible decision with their scorecards.

If oddsmakers know how the judges are scoring the fight, there'll be very little, if any, value in live-betting ahead of the final round. You'd largely be betting on whether or not the fighter that's losing can finish the fight. Since that rarely ever happens, the odds would be so lopsided that it'd almost never be worth a wager.

With no plans by the UFC to implement open scoring, this conversation is only going to stay as a theoretical debate. For now.

The UFC will return to action this weekend for UFC Vegas 56.

You can track Iain's bets on Betstamp here.