A pair of ONE Championship fighters just learned that even if if a fight goes to the scorecards, there’s still a way for it to be taken out of the judges’ hands.
Featherweight Sagetdao Petpayathai thought he’d done enough to earn a decision nod over Ma Jia Wen at a ONE show in Yangon, Myanmar last Friday, but the margin of victory was apparently so narrow that officials decided to review the action after the bout was ruled in Petpayathai’s favor.
Vice president of operations Matt Hume (also known as the head coach of UFC champion Demetrious Johnson and ONE champion Bibiano Fernandes) consulted with the judges and they decided to reverse the decision and award the win to Jia Wen.
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ONE Championship has conducted an official review of the controversial bout between Ma Jia Wen and Sagetdao Petpayathai at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR. The decision has been formally overturned by the ONE Competition Committee and Ma Jia Wen is now declared the rightful winner.
“The ONE Championship team led by Matt Hume and the official cageside judges have conducted an official review of the controversial bout between Ma Jia Wen and Sagetdao Petpayathai at ONE: Spirit of a Warrior in Yangon, Myanmar,” a ONE representative wrote in a statement.
“The bout was extremely close, with both martial artists making a case as the victor. However, after reviewing all standards of ONE Championship judging criteria, we have determined that Ma Jia Wen has slightly edged out Sagetdao on the scorecards. The decision has been formally overturned by the ONE competition committee and Ma Jia Wen is now declared the rightful winner.”
With the new result, Jia Wen is now undefeated in his last four fights, while Sagetdao loses for the first time in his four-fight pro career.
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