Robbery Review: Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov at UFC 310

Few issues infuriate MMA followers greater than a battle being scored incorrectly, although the time period “theft” tends to be thrown round carelessly and is usually steeped in bias. With Theft Overview, we’ll have a look again at controversial fights and decide whether or not the judges had been rightly criticized for his or her choice or if pundits want to look at their very own knee-jerk reactions.

Relating to judging controversies, 2024 hasn’t been that unhealthy, all issues thought of.

Sure, there have been quite a few head-scratching scorecards, and if we had been to make a listing of a few of the most befuddling playing cards handed on this 12 months, you could possibly in all probability provide you with not less than 20 (Howie Sales space, I’m trying immediately at you). That’s how unhealthy a few of the scoring has been, however happily, as a rule the precise fighter ended up on the precise facet of the choice anyway.

So we’ve been quiet right here at Theft Overview headquarters, assured that almost all of judges are doing their finest given the imperfect match that’s the present scoring standards.

BUT.

If anybody has a case for a Theft Overview this 12 months, it is perhaps Alexander Volkov.

Volkov simply dropped a cut up choice in his rematch with Ciryl Gane at UFC 310 this previous Saturday, and social media wasn’t too happy about it, together with a handful of fighters who questioned the decision.

UFC CEO Dana White might be heard afterwards telling Volkov, “You bought f*cked,” and Volkov later expressed his frustration with the judging when chatting with the media later that night. Even Gane stated in his post-fight interview he wasn’t proud of the battle and that he was hindered by a foot harm.

The individuals have spoken. Let’s go to the lab.

What was the official consequence?

Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov through cut up choice.

How did the battle go?

Volkov seemed decided to keep away from the issues from their first battle, which noticed Gane’s athleticism dictate a lot of the place the motion went. He went proper at Gane, ultimately placing on sufficient strain to attain a takedown. Volkov did precisely what you’d anticipate, staying heavy on Gane, however Gane impressed with strong floor protection earlier than exploding again onto the toes.

Gane seemed snug working towards the fence with Volkov, although neither man initiated a lot offense from there. Moments later, Gane ducked a punch and scored a takedown of his personal, which nobody noticed coming. Neither man is Jailton Almeida on the bottom, in order that just about resulted in a stalemate with Gane touchdown the occasional ground-and-pound boop earlier than trying a heel hook that went nowhere.

Again on the toes, Volkov stung Gane with a physique kick and a straight punch. Gane hit Volkov with a knee to the physique, however Volkov turned that right into a takedown. Gane attacked with a guillotine, however Volkov simply ran out the clock with lower than 30 seconds to go.

In Spherical 2, Gane kicked issues off with vary placing, although neither fighter dedicated to something on the toes. Volkov had a pleasant flurry, solely to eat a counter punch from Gane. Massive spinning backfist by Volkov caught Gane clear on the chin and that was the most important shot of the battle. Volkov undoubtedly forward within the standup early within the spherical. Head kick and a straight punch linked for Volkov as he began to tug away. Gane answered with a jab and a stiff proper hand, that woke Volkov up. Volkov continued to battle successfully from vary, although there have been a number of shut exchanges the place each fighters scored. Massive 1-2 from Gane caught Volkov after which Gane took Volkov down. For a second it seemed like Gane was going for a Von Flue choke. That might have been enjoyable.

The third spherical was simply bizarre. After some inconclusive boxing, Volkov went for a leg and regularly put Gane on his again. Gane countered with a kimura try from backside. And that’s it, that’s the spherical. For nearly 4 minutes, Gane hung onto Volkov’s arm, even after Volkov was properly out of hazard. There wasn’t a lot Volkov might do from his place in addition to throw gentle hammerfists to Gane’s physique and punches to Gane’s butt.

Not a Battle of the 12 months candidate, is what I’m saying.

What did the judges say?

Adalaide Byrd scored it 29-28 Gane.

Eric Colon scored it 29-28 Volkov.

Junichiro Kamijo scored it 29-28 Gane.

Spherical 2 proved to be the distinction, with all three judges giving Spherical 1 to Gane and Spherical 3 to Volkov. Byrd and Kumijo scored the second for Gane, whereas Colon had Volkov profitable that body and the battle.

What did the numbers say?

(Statistics per UFC Stats)

General, there wasn’t actually so much to separate Gane and Volkov simply going by stats. Gane landed extra complete important strikes, 43-39 and each spherical was as shut as that implies:

Important strike stats

Spherical 1: Gane 12-10

Spherical 2: Gane 27-25

Spherical 3: Tied 4-4

Volkov had the slight edge in takedowns (3-2) and management time (4:32), none of which implies a lot contemplating neither fighter did injury on the bottom.

For these questioning, Volkov had an enormous benefit in complete strikes (105-48), most of which stemmed from the 68 pitter-patter strikes from prime place in Spherical 3. Nonetheless, he additionally beat Gane in important head (19-14) and physique (18-10) strikes.

What did the media say?

Media scores on MMA Selections had been firmly in Volkov’s favor, with 19 out of 20 scoring it for him. Zane Simon of MMA Vivisection had it 30-27 for Volkov and was extremely important of Gane’s efficiency:

“A bafflingly unhealthy battle from starting to finish,” Simon tweeted. “Forgot his jab, bought out-kicked, and made devastating grappling errors in each spherical to make sure he misplaced these rounds.”

What did the individuals say?

(Knowledge derived from MMA Selections and Verdict MMA)

Very similar to with the media scores, followers scoring on MMA Selections had been closely on the 29-28 Volkov facet. That rating obtained 74 p.c of the vote, with one other 15.6 p.c having it 30-27 Volkov. Massive yikes for the judges if you wish to take these votes as regulation.

It was simply as unhealthy on Verdict MMA, the place voters had Volkov profitable by a snug margin.

Volkov obtained huge help for his Spherical 2 and Spherical 3 efforts, leading to a margin of 104 factors in his favor. For these of you unfamiliar with Verdict, I contemplate any margin near 100 being indicative of a transparent winner and this went over that. Nonetheless, it’s price noting the large disparity in Spherical 3 doesn’t essentially imply Volkov got here wherever near ending the battle, solely that it was the simplest of the rounds to attain.

How did I rating it?

I used to be on reside weblog responsibility Saturday, so I truly needed to rating this one in actual time. Initially, I had all three rounds for Volkov, although Spherical 1 was shut and Spherical 2 was extra aggressive than individuals appeared to assume. Spherical 3 needed to be a Volkov spherical and I’d have been disgusted if any of the judges gave it to Gane for his never-there kimura try.

On a rewatch, I’m even much less assured about Spherical 2 for Volkov. That backfist will need to have left a giant impression on individuals, and it was nice, however you must credit score Gane for a few of the clear punches he landed late within the spherical. Feels to me like a number of his work was ignored and I’d implore individuals to rewatch that spherical intently.

On the flipside, I nonetheless assume there’s a robust case for Volkov in Spherical 1, so it’s comprehensible that so many had been befuddled by the official name as a result of it’s straightforward to seek out two rounds for him.

Was it a theft?

*cracks knuckles*

Haven’t carried out one in every of these shortly, so let me get able to intellectually throw arms as a result of I’m positive a number of you aren’t going to love this.

I don’t assume the outrage was warranted right here.

In Spherical 1, there was so little related injury to attain, you’ll be able to name that one a toss-up. At no level did both fighter assert themselves in a significant method. As for Spherical 2, I ask once more, was the Volkov backfist that definitive? It damage Gane, no query, however Gane rapidly recovered and, once more, in case you return and watch the spherical he landed a number of arduous punches of his personal.

You possibly can speak me into Spherical 2 Gane, I’m not mad at it.

The ultimate verdict

Not a theft. Aren’t you glad Theft Overview is again?