Sterling Questions UFC London Scoring as Evloev Victory Sparks Controversy Over Judging Criteria

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has voiced serious concerns about mixed martial arts scoring criteria following Movsar Evloev controversial majority decision victory over Lerone Murphy in the UFC London main event, arguing that the closely contested featherweight eliminator should have resulted in a draw.

Evloev maintained his perfect professional record at 20-0 by defeating the previously unbeaten Murphy (17-0) in what many observers considered one of the most contentious decisions in recent UFC history. The Dagestani fighter secured victory on two judges scorecards by winning rounds one, three, and five, despite receiving a point deduction in the fourth round.

Sterling, who suffered his only featherweight division loss to Evloev, conducted his own detailed analysis of the fight and shared his findings on social media, accompanied by a screenshot showing that most MMA media members scored the bout as either a draw or in favor of Murphy.

Just rewatched the first 3 rounds again, Sterling wrote in his comprehensive breakdown. We are all confused on how scoring works in this sport. It still seems more subjective than criteria based.

The former champion, known by his nickname Funkmaster, provided round-by-round analysis that highlighted the ambiguity surrounding current judging standards. His examination of the opening round suggested Murphy displayed superior activity levels, while the second frame saw Murphy landing more significant strikes despite the competitive nature of both exchanges.

Round three proved particularly controversial in Sterling assessment, as he questioned whether Evloev ability to open a cut on Murphy during the final 25 seconds was sufficient to steal what had been an evenly contested round up to that point.

RD1: very close but more activity from Murphy. RD2: close still but Murphy ahead on strikes. RD3: really tight until the last 25 sec where Movsar opens a cut on Murphy. Does that steal the RD?? Sterling detailed in his analysis.

While acknowledging that rounds four and five clearly belonged to Evloev, Sterling maintained that the point deduction should have resulted in a draw if round three was indeed scored in the Dagestani favor, as appeared to be the case on the official scorecards.

The controversy extends beyond Sterling personal opinion, as his screenshot revealed widespread disagreement among combat sports media regarding the outcome. The lack of consensus among experienced observers highlights ongoing issues with UFC judging consistency and the subjective nature of scoring close rounds.

Sterling involvement in this scoring debate carries particular weight given his own competitive history with Evloev. Since moving up to featherweight following his bantamweight title reign, Sterling only defeat came via decision against the same fighter whose victory he now questions.

The former champion has successfully rebounded from that setback with an impressive victory over contender Brian Ortega, demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest levels of the 145-pound division.

Looking ahead, Sterling has secured his next opportunity to showcase his featherweight credentials against Youssef Zalal (18-5) at UFC Fight Night 274 on April 25 in Las Vegas. This matchup provides Sterling with another chance to work toward a potential title shot in his new weight class.

The Evloev-Murphy scoring controversy represents a broader issue within mixed martial arts regarding judging consistency and criteria application. Close fights often generate debate, but when experienced fighters, media members, and fans reach such divergent conclusions about the same contest, it suggests fundamental problems with the current system.

Sterling willingness to publicly question the scoring demonstrates the frustration many within the sport feel about judging standards. His detailed round-by-round analysis provides insight into how fighters themselves evaluate competitive exchanges, often differing significantly from official scoring.

As UFC continues expanding globally with events like UFC London, ensuring consistent and accurate judging becomes increasingly important for maintaining competitive integrity and fighter confidence in the scoring system.