Beginning in March, the Kansas Athletic Commission will offer the option of Real-Time Scoring to all promoters holding professional and amateur mixed martial arts events in the state.
Under this system, the three judges’ scorecards will be officially recorded by the Commission, and then immediately made available before the start of the next round to the fighters, promotion, cage/ring announcer, broadcast commentators, and broadcast producer.
The first use of the Kansas Athletic Commission’s Real-Time Scoring will be at Invicta Fighting Championships March 6 event in Kansas City, Kansas.
Phoenix Series 3 to Feature Open Scoring on Friday, March 6 https://t.co/cq2yqbY9KN
— Invicta FC (@InvictaFights) February 10, 2020
Many have called into use of the scoring system after UFC 247. The card featured several questionable scoring decisions, including in the main event. Jon Jones defended his light heavyweight title over Dominick Reyes, but many felt Reyes should have been declared the winner.
‘Fighters Deserve To Know,’ Said Executive Director
“Fighters deserve to know the score during their fights,” said Kansas Athletic Commission Executive Director Adam Roorbach. “I truly believe that this will provide them with a much clearer idea of what they need to do to win, and it will also create an enhanced and interactive experience for the fans watching in attendance, as well as the fans watching the broadcast and following on-line updates.”
Real-Time Scoring is the brainchild of Roorbach, who has been developing this system over the past six months.
“To be clear, the implementation of Real-Time Scoring in MMA is not a reaction to any particular fight or event. Rather, it’s an idea that I’ve long been harboring, and have slowly been working out the details to the point that I now feel confident to launch. This started with me asking the question ‘Why not?’, and no one has been able to provide me with a compelling reason against it. The response that I’ve gotten from our promoters, fighters, and the Kansas fight community has been universally positive.”
As is the case with the Kansas Athletic Commission’s early weigh-in procedure, promoters will be given the sole discretion to utilize Real-Time Scoring for their MMA events. Real-Time Scoring will only be available to mixed martial arts bouts and events (both professional and amateur) held in the State of Kansas.
Invicta FC To Crown New Champion
Invicta FC will present Phoenix Series 3 from Memorial Hall. The card features Lisa Verzosa vs. Julija Stoliarenko for the vacant bantamweight title.
The remaining lineup will include the bantamweight tournament featuring Mitzi Merry, Morgan Hickam, Serena DeJesus and Julia Ottolino.