UFC Vegas 32 Re-Watch: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw
TJ Dillashaw emerged victorious in an ultra-close tussle with Cory Sandhagen on Saturday night, but did the right man win?
TJ Dillashaw and Cory Sandhagen battled for 25 hard minutes on Saturday night in fight that was every bit as entertaining, tense, and competitive as everyone expected it would be when it was first announced.
That point should not be overlooked.
It was great fight — arguably the best UFC fight so far this year — and though you can feel a certain way about Dillashaw or the result, neither of those things change that this was a terrific fight that should be remembered as such, first and foremost.
Right now, in the first few days after the contest, it’s being remembered for the scoring and the official verdict, which had Dillashaw coming away with a split decision win, all three judges seeing the fight 48-47, two of them in favor of the returning former champion.
In addition to being a great fight, it was a close fight — one decided by small margins, and one that, while watching it live, felt like it was going to end up the way it did from the outset. Stylistically, these two match up well, and for 25 minutes, we got a tight back-and-forth where there was only one round where the final striking statistics were more separated by more than a handful of significant strikes.
As well as feeling like it was going to be a tightly contested fight from the get-go, it also felt destined to be a fight that I revisited here as a Re-Watch, where the commentary gets muted, the action gets consumed in minute-by-minute increments, and I try to figure out if my initial score — 48-47 Sandhagen, where it felt like 49-46 was as possible as 48-47 Dillashaw — is justified or if the two judges who sided with the long-time bantamweight standout scored it correctly. (Click here for the official scorecards and submitted media scores)
Now, let’s be clear: judging is a subjective venture using defined criteria and in those situations, people are always going to disagree from time-to-time, which is to say that just because I think my view of things is correct, doesn’t mean you can’t justify a different interpretation of things. That’s the constant rub of scoring fights (and any subjective competition) and why understanding and following the criteria is crucial.
If you’re interested, you can check out the Unified Rules of MMA, including the detailed scoring criteria and how it is supposed to be applied when judging fights.
Let’s get to it.
Alright, so we’re not getting right to it.
First, I was fortunate to be invited on the Couchside Judges podcast this week (I kind of invited myself if we’re being honest) to talk with Scott Fontana and Dan Urban about the various close, contested rounds from Saturday’s fight card.
Naturally, we spent a great deal of time going through the main event (and a little time talking Raptors draft strategy) and I really encourage you to give it a listen, as well as to subscribe to the show because Scott and Dan know their stuff and do a tremendous job a couple times a week of going through close fights, applying the scoring criteria, and adjudicating those verdicts; they also know more about the individual judges and their performances over the years than any two people I know and that stuff is really important.
Secondly, since all three judges saw the opening three rounds the same — 10-9 Dillashaw, 10-9 Sandhagen, and 10-9 Dillashaw — I’m not going to cover them. Everyone agreed, let’s just get into the crucial rounds and what transpired, even though I do think you can make a case for Sandhagen winning the first on much of the same criteria I’m going to cover here in a minute.
Alright — now it’s time to really get started.
Round 4 and Round 5, broken down, no sound, in an attempt to see how this official decision holds up.
Round 4
5:00 - 4:00: Touch of gloves and Dillashaw lands an inside low kick as he presses forward, gets another one outside on the lead leg as well. Sandhagen responds with a jab, avoiding Dillashaw’s rush as he circles out to his left. Low kick to the lead leg for Dillashaw and it looks like they clash heads a little — Dillashaw’s head hitting Sandhagen’s jaw maybe — as a result of how they’re individually moving. Right hand down the middle lands for Dillashaw. A couple short jabs for Sandhagen find a home, Dillashaw crowds him, and Sandhagen lands a good left on the exit, moving back into the center of the cage. Three low kicks to the lead leg for Dillashaw, with Sandhagen countering with little jabs. Superman punch misses for Dillashaw, but he’s the more active of the two in this section, changing levels and looking for a takedown that Sandhagen rebuffs, turning it into a situation where Dillashaw has waist control from behind and Sandhagen is pressed into the fence.
4:00 - 3:00: Knees to the back of the thigh from Dillashaw as he maintains control around the waist of Sandhagen, who is trying to break Dillashaw’s grip and motions to the referee like, “What are we doing here?” though nothing changes. Another knee to the thigh. Sandhagen breaks free and circles into the center at 3:20, checking Dillashaw’s low kick and firing a right hand in return. Two lead rights connect with Dillashaw’s head. Two pawing jabs are short, a tepid knee isn’t close, but a left hand finds a home as Dillashaw looks to circle out right at the end of this one-minute stretch.
3:00 -2:00: Dillashaw catches a left uppercut in the chest as he enters on a level change; you know it lands because he instantly bails on the shot and straightens up. Light outside kick to the lead leg for Dillashaw, both men paw with weak punches, and then Sandhagen connects with a sharp right. Sandhagen intercepts Dillashaw trying to stutter-step into a punch with a left hand and a right seconds after as the former champ again tries to come forward and connect. Left hook lands clean on Dillashaw’s jaw while he misses a left of his own because Sandhagen comes out the other side. Reaching left to the body lands for Sandhagen. Two reaching rights glance for Dillashaw and Sandhagen again lands a punch to the chest as Dillashaw changes levels, using his follow-through on the punch to stuff the takedown attempt. Dillashaw gets waist control and dumps Sandhagen to the canvas for literally a second before he’s up and they’re back on the fence as they were earlier in the round.
2:00 - 1:00: Three good knees to the thigh from Dillashaw as Sandhagen tries to break the grip along the fence. Sandhagen gets his back to the fence, Dillashaw throws an elbow that doesn’t quite land fully as Sandhagen exits to his left into space. Sandhagen lands a short left, misses with two more, and then lands a solid right as Dillashaw is trying to return fire. Dillashaw does his signature foot-shuffle press forward behind punches, but none of them land. He misses with a right and Sandhagen counters by pawing at him with lefts, touching him. Right hand from Sandhagen intercepts Dillashaw’s burst forward, and another on the exit scores as Dillashaw looks to close the distance. Sandhagen gets stuck on the fence and Dillashaw shoots, securing position around Sandhagen’s waist again.
1:00 - 0:00: Dillashaw lands two knees to the thighs as he tries to manipulate Sandhagen’s body along the fence. Sandhagen breaks the grip and circles into the center of the Octagon. Dillashaw glances with a right rushing in, but Sandhaegn does a good job of being just far enough out of the way to not get hit clean or at all. Inside leg kick for Dillashaw, right hand answer for Sandhagen. Outside low kick to the other side for Dillashaw. Left hand misses, inside kick lands for Dillashaw, Sandhagen responds with a straight right that lands, and another behind it. Reaching right for Dillashaw touches, he presses forward and Sandhagen connects with a clean spinning back fist.
Analysis: Dillashaw was a little more active and the one moving forward almost exclusively, but after the opening minute, it looks again like Sandhagen lands the better, more impactful blows of the round, including a couple clean rights, the left hook to the body in the middle minutes, and the spinning back fist at the end. Dillashaw’s best offence overall are the kicks, which aren’t as immediately impactful as Sandhagen’s punches, and while he held onto the waist lock position from behind for 1:41 of the round according to UFCstats.com, nothing came of it, it’s not a dominant position, and the striking wasn’t close enough for me to call it even and look at secondary criteria.
I know it’s not something to factor into the judging in the moment, however, the three replays shown between rounds are all Sandhagen moments — a right hand that intercepts Dillashaw coming forward, the left hook to the body that goes unseen if you’re not paying close attention in the moment, and the spinning back fist, which is one of the cleanest strikes of the round. Again, you don’t have the benefit of those things when you’re scoring live, but they’re important to consider and look at when you’re scoring at home because they are instructive and solid indicators of what mattered most in a particular round.
Score: A pretty clear 10-9 for Sandhagen
Round 5
5:00 - 4:00: Same thing to start the final round — touch of gloves, Sandhagen circling on the outside, Dillashaw coming forward, attacking with low kicks, showing a little more pep. Sandhagen just misses with three straight punches as Dillashaw bobs and weaves away from them. Right body kick for Dillashaw; left hand for Sandhagen. Inside low kick for Dillashaw. Left hand from Sandhagen intercepts Dillashaw coming forward, two rights from Dillashaw anyway. Right hand for each of them. Left body kick for Dillashaw. Right outside thigh kick for Dillashaw, two-punch combination upstairs for Sandhagen, with the right landing clean.
4:00 - 3:00: Inside low kick for Dillashaw, right hand jab for Sandhagen. Good right to the chin for Dillashaw as he presses forward. A right hand in a four punch combo hits for Sandhagen, but Dillashaw does a good job avoiding the others. Pawing left for Sandhagen and Dillashaw circles around to his back, securing the waist lock again, pushing Sandhagen to the mat for a second as they work to the fence. Dillashaw mushes two elbows, one from each side, into Sandhagen’s head as they separate; neither land flush or with great force, but they land. Stutter-step deep shot from Dillashaw and Sandhagen stuffs it really nicely, getting his hips back and dragging Dillashaw up off the deck, but they’re clinched up along the fence again. Short punches to the side of the head from Sandhagen and they break into space.
3:00 -2:00: Really nice combination from Sandhagen — pulls Dillashaw’s right hand down, throws a right cross that lands flush and follows with a left hook to the body; beautiful work. Lazy outside leg kick from Dillashaw, right hand down the pipe from Sandhagen, who keeps stuffing jabs in Dillashaw’s face as he works backwards, maintaining his ideal range as Dillashaw comes forward. Clean lead left catches Dillashaw coming forward. Knee to the body from Sandhagen as they briefly tie up. Right hand for Dillashaw touches Sandhagen’s chin. Dillashaw pressing forward behind bigger swings that glance and are blocked, while Sandhagen backs up, putting a long left in the former champion’s face. Right to the body and another upstairs for Dillashaw, but Sandhagen responds with a right down the pipe that is clean. Another left hook to the body for Sandhagen.
2:00 - 1:00: They trade pawing jabs and Sandhagen again intercepts Dillashaw pushing forward with a right hand to the face. Dillashaw answers with a right hook that lands, but doesn’t have much on it, and Sandhagen sticks him with a left. Dillashaw changes levels and rushes into a body lock situation along the fence. Dillashaw lands a right hand as Sandhagen breaks the grip and gets off the fence, a left and another good right behind it, and avoids Sandhagen’s return fire. Sandhagen lands a left hand as Dillashaw throws a lazy inside leg kick, following it with a right down the middle that snaps Dillashaw’s head back. Shuffle-step one-two for Dillashaw with the one landing, then each land a short right, Sandhagen getting another one in as he circles out. Dillashaw connects slightly with a lead left hook as he shuffles in at Sandhagen, who lands a similar right backing up. Dillashaw keeps coming and lands a clean left before changing levels and getting in on the hips.
1:00 - 0:00: Sandhagen defends, complains about Dillashaw grabbing his shorts, and lands a short left to the body just before they break. Low kick to the lead leg for Dillashaw. Uppercut for Dillashaw. Duelling right hooks connect. Two jabs for Sandhagen. Another left hook slung into the body from Sandhagen. Right hand for Sandhagen. Reaching left hand touches the jaw for Dillashaw. Long left and right score for the former champ. Sloppy, long punches from each guy glance or are slipped. Left hand from Sandhagen and a right right away from Dillashaw, followed by a clubbing left from Sandhagen. Right for Dillashaw, but Sandhagen responds with a better right that again intercepts Dillashaw coming forward. Horn. Dap. Hug. Both believe they’ve won.
Analysis: This is a very close round. Watching it back, Dillashaw lands more than I recalled or picked up in the moment, which is why re-watches and avoiding second screens during live events are important because you miss stuff.
Dillashaw was again the slightly more active of the two, primarily as a result of his continued use of kicks, and he was the one coming forward, which Sandhagen happily welcomed. Much like the fourth round, it was a case of who landed the more instantly impactful, immediately damaging blows versus who was coming forward and landing with a little more variety, and just like in the prior round, Sandhagen’s shots frequently felt like they carried a little more zip and had a great impact on Dillashaw than the majority of the blows the former champion landed did on the Elevation Fight Team member.
There was 59 seconds of control time here officially, but much like the fourth, nothing came of it — no takedowns, no meaningful advances, no real significant striking exchanges — so you can pretty well discard that minute and look at this round simply for the striking exchanges in space.
And while it’s close and Dillashaw has more quality moments in the fifth than I thought he did initially and he did both live and here in the fourth, I still rate the impact of Sandhagen’s shots higher than Dillashaw’s, because that’s the criteria this round is judged on.
Score: A close 10-9 for Sandhagen
Final Thoughts
This is a hella close fight and Sandhagen has every reason to feel like he did enough to win.
As Scott said on the podcast (and tweeted out before that), this is one of those rare cases where Sandhagen won the final two rounds 2-1 on all three scorecards, but couldn’t get the three judges to agree on which two rounds, and with Dillashaw earning the unanimous nod in the first and third, he comes away with the split decision win.
For me, this came down to two things, one which I understand, the other that I can’t prove, but feel is valid and totally dislike:
It’s a close fight where viewing angles and those split seconds where you’re blinking or obstructed or one of the athletes has his back to you alter what you see and therefore how you score the round.
Dillashaw got credit for being the guy coming forward and bigger movements, which should never be a factor. Just because someone is moving backwards and is more economical with their weapons doesn’t mean they’re not being highly effective, as Sandhagen was here.
As I’ve said through, this was a terrific fight, a close fight, and I understand how the judges arrived at the verdict they did.
I disagree with the scoring, but this isn’t one of those cases where it was a blatantly bad call, just an unfortunate one if you’re Cory Sandhagen.