Jairzinho Rozenstruik upset Tai Tuivasa’s return at UFC 305 on August 18.
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In one of the main fights of the UFC 305 main card, Rozenstruik and Tuivasa kept the fight standing for the entire 15 minutes. Kickboxing veteran Rozenstruik outclassed Tuivasa in all three rounds, nearly knocking him down in the second and controlling the third with his ramrod jab.
It looked like a clear 30-27 victory for Rozenstruik, but the decision took an unexpected turn when Bruce Buffer announced a surprise 30-27 result for Tuivasa, courtesy of judge Howie Booth. As a result, Rozenstruik received a split decision for a fight he won convincingly.
Even judge Charlie Keech’s 29-28 score for Rozenstruik seemed outrageous, with 15 of 15 media members and countless combat sports fans giving Rozenstruik all three rounds. Booth’s scorecard drew rare criticism from the UFC broadcast team, with co-commentator Jon Anik even taking a swipe at the judge.
“Maybe he (Howie Booth) went to pee in the second round,” commentator Jon Anik noted.
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While Rozenstruik earned a well-deserved win, it was marred by questionable refereeing decisions, and fans will have to wait and see if the issue is addressed in the post-fight media frenzy at UFC 305.
Editor’s Note: During the Hooker vs. Gamrot fight, the UFC broadcast team announced that Booth had been relieved of his duties for the remainder of the evening.
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