Unanimous decision - UFC/MMA
In the UFC, a unanimous decision occurs when all three judges award the victory to the same fighter, even if their individual scores may differ. For instance, one judge might score the fight 30-27, another 29-28, and the third 30-27, but they all agree on the same winner. A unanimous decision is generally considered the most reliable outcome because it reflects complete consensus. However, controversial unanimous decisions can happen when the fight is closely contested, yet all three judges interpret the tight rounds in the same way. In the UFC, about 30% of fights go to decision, and the majority of those are unanimous decisions. A fighter with many unanimous decision victories is often seen as an athlete who wins clearly and convincingly.
Unanimous decision
Islam Makhachev defeated Alexander Volkanovski by unanimous decision at UFC 284, with scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46. All three judges agreed on Makhachev's victory, even though the fight was competitive and the scores reflected closely fought rounds.
Unanimous decision & Split decision
A unanimous decision indicates that all judges agree, while a split decision means that two judges award the victory to one fighter and one to another. The unanimous decision is less controversial because it reflects a unanimous consensus on the winner's superiority. Split decision.
FAQ - Unanimous decision
Is a unanimous decision always correct?
Not necessarily. Even if all three judges agree, they can collectively make a mistake. However, it is statistically less likely for three independent judges to make the same error compared to a split decision.
How are the scores announced?
Bruce Buffer (the official announcer) reads the scores from each judge individually, then announces the winner. For example: 'Judge one: 29-28, judge two: 30-27, judge three: 29-28. Winner by unanimous decision...'
