News Summary
The Georgia State Athletic Commission has changed the outcome of the fight between Mansur Abdul-Malik and Cody Brundage to a majority draw after an appeal. The initial decision was made due to an early stoppage caused by an accidental clash of heads. With this ruling, Abdul-Malik retains his undefeated record, while Brundage avoids another loss. This unique situation highlights the importance of accurate scoring in mixed martial arts and sets a precedent for future cases in the UFC.
Atlanta, Georgia – The Georgia State Athletic Commission has officially overturned the outcome of the fight between Mansur Abdul-Malik and Cody Brundage, originally decided on June 14 during the UFC Atlanta event. The fight, which culminated in an early stoppage, has now been declared a majority draw following an appeal by Brundage’s team.
The main event of the evening saw Kamaru Usman return to the octagon, defeating Joaquin Buckley after a challenging three-fight losing streak. In the co-main event, Rose Namajunas also marked her return with a victory, adding to a night filled with intense competition and high stakes.
During the Abdul-Malik versus Brundage fight, an accidental clash of heads in the third round led to the bout being halted prematurely. At that point, Brundage was unable to continue fighting, resulting in Abdul-Malik being initially awarded a technical decision. This win would have marked Abdul-Malik’s ninth career victory and third since joining the UFC.
However, upon reviewing the fight, the Georgia State Athletic Commission determined that an error had occurred regarding how the rounds were scored. According to Georgia statutes, incomplete rounds cannot be counted towards the final score. Therefore, only the first two rounds of the contest were valid for scoring purposes.
The commission noted that two of the judges scored the fight evenly, with each fighter winning one round, while the third judge scored it narrowly in favor of Abdul-Malik. As a result of the ruling, the fight was adjusted to reflect a majority draw with judges scoring it 28-28, 28-28, and 29-28 in favor of Abdul-Malik.
Despite the change in the fight’s outcome, Abdul-Malik will maintain his undefeated professional record, while Brundage successfully avoids an additional loss on his record, which would have tied him at 1-2 in his last three fights. This decision is particularly significant as it illustrates a rare case in the UFC where a fighter’s loss is overturned following a commission appeal.
Lance Spaude, representing Team Iridium, acknowledged the professionalism of the Georgia commission in their review of Brundage’s appeal. The swift action taken by the commission underscores the importance of accurate scoring in the fast-paced realm of mixed martial arts.
This ruling is a notable instance in the history of the UFC and raises questions about how similar situations may be handled in the future. The adjustments made by the commission aim to uphold fair competition standards and provide an equitable outcome for fighters involved in closely contested bouts.
As the sport continues to grow and evolve, this decision serves as a reminder of the complexities faced by athletic commissions and the inherent need for careful oversight in ensuring fair play and accurate scoring for all competitors involved.
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Additional Resources
- SI.com: UFC Atlanta Fight Result Overturned
- Wikipedia: Mixed Martial Arts
- Sherdog: Georgia Commission Overturns Bout Result
- Google Search: UFC Atlanta June 14 2025
- MMA Junkie: UFC Fight Result Overturned
- Google Scholar: UFC Fight Regulation
- Yardbarker: Undefeated UFC Fighter Has Win Overturned
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Mixed Martial Arts
- ESPN: UFC Fight Center
- Google News: UFC Atlanta 2025
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