Rory MacDonald was sure he had done enough. The judges informed him otherwise.
Gleison Tibau sprang a stunning upset under the Professional Fighters League flag, as he took a contentious split decision from the former Bellator MMA champion in the PFL 5 headliner on Thursday at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28, two of them siding with Tibau (36-15, 1-1 PFL).
MacDonald (22-7-1, 1-1 PFL) appeared to control a majority of the action with deft footwork, a sharp jab and front kicks to the body.