UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was not happy with the judges in the UFC on ESPN 45 main event.
At the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Adesanya’s teammate Kai Kara-France fought a close five-round battle against Amir Albazi. Although many in the MMA space watching at home thought Kara-France was going to get his hand raised when the official decision was read, it was Albazi who emerged victorious with the split.
Official judges Chris Lee and Sal D’Amato scored the fight 48-47 for Albazi, while Mike Bell also turned in a 48-47, but in favor of Kara-France.
Adesanya was keeping close tabs on the fight, and soon after the official result was read, he relayed his displeasure in a series of Tweets taking shots at the judges who did not score the fight for his City Kickboxing teammate.
“Nah bro…F*ck yous!!!” Adesanya wrote on Twitter in the first of four tweets.
“Fire Chris Lee & Sal Deez nuts,” Adesanya continued in a second message, apparently before the scores were even read.
“I tweeted that before even seeing the scorecards because I knew them two will f*ck it up!!” Adesanya wrote in a third tweet. “How many times will they rob athletes of their moments of glory, of [sic] their money, their livelihood for their family? F*ck them c*nts, they need to expire quickly and go. Mike Bell was the only judge to score this properly, the other two deff need to disappear.”
I tweeted that before even seeing the scorecards because I knew them two will fuck it up!! Hoooow many times will they rob athletes of their moments of glory, if their money, their livelihood for their family. Fuuuuuuuck them cunts, they need to expire quickly and go. Mike Bell… pic.twitter.com/aCRG646b1i
— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) June 4, 2023
In a fourth, and much calmer Tweet, Adesanya made a suggestion that has often bounced around in MMA circles over the years, especially after a close, controversial judging result.
“Start interviewing the judges after fights,” Adesanya wrote. “Hold them accountable for their work.”
The UFC on ESPN 45 main event was the second split decision result of Kara-France’s UFC run. At UFC 234 in 2019, he was on the winning side of dueling scorecards, picking up a win over Raulian Paiva.
Saturday’s result marked the second straight loss for Kara-France, after losing his bid to claim the vacant interim title at UFC 277 last July against current undisputed champion Brandon Moreno. Prior to his current skid, he won three straight, including first-round stoppages of Rogerio Bontorin and Cody Garbrandt.
