Are unanimous decision wins in MMA really valid?

Question

Yesterday Forrest Griffin defeated Quinton Jackson to win the 205lb belt in UFC 86 by a 5 round unanimous decision. But if either opponent is unable to submit, knockout, or create a referree stoppage, isn't it really a draw?

Rampage won his belt by defeating Chuck Liddell via stoppage and I am willing to allow judges' decision to determin non-title fights. But are not title fights too valued and difficult to attain to let someone "win" the title even though they did not really defeat the opponent they faced?

Answer 1

If decisions wouldn't count then what would happen?  A 6th overtime round? or the champ keeps his title despite not having won?  It's up to both fighters to fight the better fight and/or finish his opponent.  It's Rampage's fault that it went to the decision and it's his fault the decision went for Griffin.  He doesn't deserve to keep the belt simply because Griffin didn't submit him or knock him out.  I'm a Rampage fan and I'm not happy that Griffin won the title.  I don't think he'll keep the title for long in that division, but he earned the title and he deserves it.  That's all that matters.  If you have a problem with that, then just hope next time Rampage can KO Griffin like he did to Chuck.

Answer 2

What do you mean "even though they did not really defeat the opponent they faced"???  That's how the UFC works...you can have KO, TKO, submission, tap out, decision, doctor stoppage...the scoring is there for a REASON.  They are scored by everything they do in each round and whoever does it BEST is the winner if it is not stopped in another way.  It's as simple as that.  It doesn't take a knockout to be a winner.  You are entitled to your opinion if you don't think that it SHOULD be that way, but that's simply not how the game is played.

Answer 3

Unanimous decision simply means that two or more of the judges agree that Forrest was the winner.  Its that simple.  Its the same way in boxing.

Answer 4

yeai agree fully, thats why there should be no round limits or time limits or rounds, just keep going until theres a winner

Answer 5

it shows that one guy scored more throughout the fight. period. a doctor stoppage because of a cut is a lot worse way to lose a fight or a title.