As MMA fans, we all know that nothing is more frustrating than a fight being scored incorrectly. However, we should also recognize that the term “robbery” is often thrown around carelessly and can be biased. That’s why we’ve introduced Robbery Review, where we examine controversial fights and determine whether the judges got it right or if there was a knee-jerk reaction from pundits.

In the latest UFC Vegas 74 main event, Amir Albazi claimed the biggest win of his career against Kai Kara-France. While some, including UFC president Dana White, were left with doubts, others felt that the fight’s outcome was just.

The matchup promised to be a close contest, and it lived up to expectations as neither fighter could exert their dominance for extended periods. As the fight progressed, Kara-France increased his urgency. His strong finish convinced many of his peers that he won the fight. However, the judges favored Albazi, awarding him the split decision victory.

Yet, some in the MMA community, including Kai’s teammate Israel Adesanya, were outraged by the decision. Adesanya demanded that two judges be fired among other things. However, Kara-France was more measured and said he felt “confident” in the leadup to the verdict but would not dwell on it.

Now, let’s examine the fight in more depth. Albazi and Kara-France showed each other a great deal of respect throughout the contest. Albazi focused on countering and hunting for a big shot, while Kara-France used leg kicks and bursts of activity to remain active.

In the second round, Albazi started to find a rhythm to navigate Kara-France’s timing. In round three, Albazi earned a takedown and was able to hold Kara-France down for most of the period. Although Albazi nearly secured a rear-naked choke, Kara-France escaped and ended the round with some timely ground elbows.

Kara-France pushed the pace in the championship rounds, staying in Albazi’s face and landing steady jabs. Although Albazi landed a powerful punch that could have shaken any less sturdy flyweight than Kara-France, Kara-France’s elite takedown defense let him go back to controlling the fight. In a crucial moment in round five, Kara-France was all over Albazi, and his aggression allowed Albazi to push the fight to the fence.