In February, the Kansas Athletic Commission first broached the concept of open scoring for mixed martial arts. Instead of tallying scores after the fight, the proposal was to do it after every round to offer transparency and avoid controversial judging.
Invicta FC became the first promotion to implement this new method during its Invicta Phoenix Series 3 event in Kansas City early this month. Fighters in the card were so far satisfied, calling it a “step up for the MMA world.”
But not every competitor fully supports this innovative idea. UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, for one, says he understands its value, but remains skeptical because of how it can adversely affect a fighter’s mentality.