Dana White, the outspoken president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), didn’t mince words when addressing the controversial scoring of the UFC 302 co-main event between Paulo Costa and Sean Strickland. Judge Dave Tirelli’s baffling scorecard in favor of Costa left White flabbergasted and questioning the judge’s competence.
In the co-main event at UFC 302, Sean Strickland faced off against Paulo Costa. Strickland secured a split decision victory over Costa, but Judge Tirelli’s scorecard raised eyebrows. Despite Strickland’s clear dominance, Tirelli scored the fight in favor of Costa, leaving White incredulous.
White didn’t hold back during the post-fight news conference, saying, “It wasn’t weird – it was f*cking nuts is what it was. That guy should never [judge] a big fight again. They should kick him back down to the minor leagues and let him work on his judging.”
Dana White blasts judge Dave Tirelli, who scored #UFC302 co-main event for Paulo Costa: 'It was f*cking nuts' https://t.co/4zULudQpe7
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) June 3, 2024
Dana White Opens Up on Strickland’s Impressive Performance
Dana White praised Strickland’s performance, emphasizing his strategic approach. “It’s not the fight I expected,” White said. “Every time you see Paulo Costa in a fight, it’s a war. He usually goes to war, but you could tell tonight, he couldn’t get off. Brilliant kicking that leg the way he did. Strickland is tough as hell. He was eating those leg kicks all night.”
Strickland’s ability to neutralize Costa’s offense impressed White. “I’m wondering how he’s walking, because I haven’t heard anything, but he did some big damage to that front leg,” White added. “I thought [Strickland] fought a beautiful, perfect fight. He’s a very awkward guy to fight, and how he throws those teep kicks and his hands are so good – he’s very elusive and has a beautiful jab. He basically picked Costa apart and shut him down.”
Tirelli’s Future as a Judge
Dana White’s frustration with Judge Tirelli extended beyond the Costa-Strickland fight. Tirelli also had an odd scorecard for the opening fight of the night between Andre Lima and Mitch Raposo. While the other two judges scored it 30-27 for Lima, Tirelli had it 29-28 for Raposo.
In White’s eyes, Tirelli’s scoring blunders warrant serious consequences. “That guy shouldn’t be judging big fights,” White asserted. “It’s insane. How anybody who isn’t an absolute f*cking lunatic could call that fight a split decision … I don’t even know what to say about that.”
Read More- Paulo Costa Promises to Bring Back Old Self After UFC 302 Loss: “F*ck Points or Conserving Energy”
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