As the vast majority of MMA fans know, the winner of each round gets 10 points, while his opponent receives nine or less. But while many consider 10-8 rounds as the solitary alternative, the 10-7 score is almost obliterated and is scarcely seen in the UFC.
However, the currently-adopted Unified Rules of MMA have explicitly mentioned and defined 10-7 rounds, so it’s practical ousting raises some questions that only the judges can answer.
So what is a 10-7 round in MMA? And how many did we have throughout UFC’s history?
Let’s dig in.
What is a 10-7 Round?
According to the Unified Rules of MMA, a round should be scored 10-7 when a contestant is completely dominated by impact, dominance, and duration of striking or grappling in a round.
In other words, this is the type of round that sees a fighter completely dominating his opponent from start to finish, whether on the ground or in striking positions. It’s the sort of demolition job that possibly warrants a stoppage on the referee’s part.
Criteria for a 10-7 Round in UFC
The main criteria that a judge should consider to score a round 10-7 in the UFC (or any other organization that adopts the Unified Rules) is the overwhelming and complete dominance of one fighter over his opponent.
On most occasions where a judge rendered a 10-7 score, the round witnessed several knockdowns with the referee coming close to intervening and putting a merciful end to the beatdown.
But if this commanding display wasn’t enough for the fighter to gain a finish, his efforts should be rewarded with a lopsided score in the said round.
10-8 vs 10-7
Contrary to popular belief, a 10-8 round doesn’t necessarily have to feature a total domination, as this is actually the legal definition of a 10-7 round. As for the 10-8 score, it occurs when a fighter wins the round by a large margin.
According to former UFC Middleweight champion Michael Bisping, the judges haven’t been too accurate in their interpretation of the rules, otherwise, we would have seen more rounds being scored 10-8 and certainly an increasing number of 10-7 rounds.
You can listen to The Count’s full explanation in the video below.
Has There Ever Been a 10-7 Round in UFC?
Yes, we have already seen a round being scored as 10-7 in the UFC. In fact, this rare occurrence ensued on four different occasions.
The first ever 10-7 round in UFC history occurred in August 2006 when Forrest Petz hammered his way past Sam Morgan to earn a lopsided 30-23 decision victory.
But it’s featherweight gatekeeper Josh Emmett who cemented himself as the ultimate king of 10-7 rounds in the UFC. Ironically, the American fighter landed on both ends of the equation.
How Rare is a 10-7 Round?
A 10-7 round in the UFC is so rare that it only ensued on four occasions throughout the organization’s history thus far.
So let’s take a closer look on all four instances:
| Winner | Opponent | Division | Date | Event | Final Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest Petz | Sam Morgan | Welterweight | August 17, 2006 | UFC Fight Night 6 | Unanimous Decision (30–27, 30–26, 30–23) |
| Josh Emmett | Felipe Arantes | Featherweight | October 21, 2017 | UFC Fight Night 118 | Unanimous Decision (30–(26, 30–26, 30–25) |
| Khamzat Chimaev | John Phillips | Middleweight | July 16, 2020 | UFC on ESPN 13 | Submission Win (D’Arce Choke) |
| Iliar Topuria | Josh Emmett | Featherweight | June 24, 2023 | UFC on ABC 5 | Unanimous Decision (50–44, 50–42, 49–45) |
