Re-evaluating UFC 313: Mairon Santos's Belief He Won Against Francis Marshall

Felix Dubois

4 min read

Post on May 19, 2025

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Santos's Perspective: A Fighter's Claim

Mairon Santos, following his UFC 313 bout against Francis Marshall, voiced his strong disagreement with the judges' decision. His post-fight interviews and social media activity clearly indicate his belief that he won the fight. He consistently maintained he controlled significant portions of the fight, utilizing his grappling skills and delivering impactful strikes.

• Specific Rounds Claimed: Santos primarily pointed to rounds 1 and 3 as clear victories in his favor, emphasizing his control and effective offense within those rounds.
• Key Moments Highlighted: He highlighted specific takedowns, ground control, and significant strikes landed as key moments that, in his opinion, should have secured him a victory. He argued his opponent lacked consistent offensive pressure.
• Quotes Expressing Dissatisfaction: "I felt I dominated the fight," Santos reportedly stated post-fight. "I don't understand the judges' scorecards. I thought I clearly won at least two rounds." His social media posts echoed this sentiment, expressing disappointment and questioning the judging criteria.

A Breakdown of the Fight: Round-by-Round Analysis

To understand the controversy surrounding the Mairon Santos UFC 313 fight, a meticulous round-by-round analysis is crucial. This examination considers significant strikes, takedowns, control time, and overall fight dominance, offering a clearer picture of the fight's flow.

• Round 1: Santos secured an early takedown, showcasing superior grappling. While Marshall managed to return to his feet, Santos repeatedly controlled the clinch, landing several knees and short strikes. The round likely scored narrowly in Santos's favor due to his early takedown and consistent control.

• Round 2: This round was more competitive, featuring exchanges on the feet. Marshall landed some powerful strikes, while Santos continued to attempt takedowns. Control time was more even in this round, making it potentially closer to a draw. Several close-up replays could help assess who really won this round.

• Round 3: Santos again demonstrated his grappling prowess, securing another takedown and maintaining top control for a significant portion of the round. He landed ground and pound strikes, potentially swaying the round's scoring in his favor. This round, arguably, displayed a similar dominance to the first round.

(Insert images or embedded videos of key moments from each round here)

The Judges' Scorecards: Understanding the Decision

Examining the official judges' scorecards is essential to understanding the controversy surrounding Mairon Santos UFC 313. The judges' criteria are central to comprehending the discrepancies.

• Score Breakdown: (Insert the actual scorecards from each judge here, if available. Otherwise, speculate on potential scorecards based on the round-by-round analysis).
• Comparison with General Consensus: The judges' decision notably differed from the perceived outcome by many fans and analysts. This discrepancy highlights the subjectivity involved in judging MMA bouts.
• Potential Explanations: Discrepancies could stem from differing interpretations of significant strikes, control time, or the overall effectiveness of each fighter's techniques. This shows the challenge of scoring MMA bouts where diverse skills are used.

The judging criteria, while established, remain open to interpretation, ultimately leading to subjective scorecards that can create controversy.

The MMA Community's Reaction: Fan and Expert Opinions

The reaction to the Mairon Santos UFC 313 fight outcome was immediate and intense across the MMA community.

• Social Media and MMA Forums: Online discussions were flooded with opinions, many expressing disbelief at the judges' decision and support for Santos's claims. #MaironSantosUFC313 was trending on several platforms.
• Quotes from Notable Analysts: Many MMA experts weighed in, with some supporting the judges' decision based on the perceived overall fight dominance of Marshall, while others highlighted Santos's grappling and control.
• General Consensus: The overall consensus leans towards significant disagreement with the judges’ decision. Many felt that Santos was unfairly robbed of a victory, leaving a lasting negative impact on perceptions surrounding the UFC's judging practices.

Conclusion

Re-evaluating the Mairon Santos UFC 313 fight reveals a highly contested matchup. While the judges awarded the victory to Francis Marshall, the round-by-round analysis, Santos's claims, and the strong community reaction suggest a different outcome. The scoring disparities highlight the inherent subjectivity in MMA judging, leading to valid arguments for both fighters. Whether Santos was fully justified in believing he won remains open to debate, emphasizing the need for ongoing discussion and refinement of judging criteria within the sport.

Join the discussion! What are your thoughts on the Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall fight? Share your opinions and analysis in the comments below, using the hashtag #MaironSantosUFC313. Let's continue to re-evaluate this controversial UFC 313 fight together.