Stop Breaking Down Fights Wrong: Use the 10-Point Must System Like a Coach

Who This Is For

If you've ever watched a fight and thought, "That guy clearly won," only to see the judges disagree, this is for you. You're not a casual fan—you train, you compete, or you're a coach. You know the difference between a takedown and a sweep, but you've never been taught how to actually score a round. That's a mistake. The 10-point must system isn't just for the judges in the cage; it's the most effective tool you have for breaking down a fight and learning from it. Here's how to use it.

Step 1: Forget the Highlights, Score Every Round

Stop breaking down fights by the finish or the flashy moment. That's how you end up with hot takes, not analysis. Instead, score every round as if you're the third judge. Under the Unified Rules, MMA bouts are scored by three judges using the 10-point must system, where the winner of each round gets 10 points and the loser gets 9 or fewer (New Jersey State Athletic Control Board). That's your template. For each round, you're going to assign a 10-9, 10-8, or 10-10. Most rounds are 10-9. A 10-8 is for a round where one fighter dominates—think a knockdown plus ground control for the entire round, or a near-submission that almost ends the fight. A 10-10 is rare, but it happens when the round is truly even.

Step 2: Prioritize Effective Striking and Grappling

Now, how do you decide who wins the round? The criteria are clear: effective striking, effective grappling, aggression, and cage control. But here's the blunt truth: effective striking and grappling matter more than aggression and control. You can walk forward all day and get pieced up—that's not winning. You can hold someone against the fence for two minutes and do nothing—that's not winning. Watch Anderson Silva's title reign. He wasn't the most aggressive, but his striking was so precise that he made champions look silly. A clean jab that snaps the head back beats a wild swing that misses. A takedown that leads to ground-and-pound beats a takedown that gets stuffed. If you're not sure, watch the fight again and count the significant strikes landed. That's your tiebreaker.

Step 3: Apply It to a Real Fight

Let's put this into practice with a classic: Jon Jones vs. Shogun Rua at UFC 128. Jones won the title that night, becoming the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23 (MMA Fighting). Watch round one. Jones lands leg kicks and a few punches, but Shogun lands a couple of decent shots too. It's close—maybe 10-9 Jones. Round two, Jones takes Shogun down and controls him, landing some ground strikes. Clear 10-9 Jones. Round three, Jones drops Shogun with a spinning back elbow and finishes with strikes. That's a 10-8 round. Now you've got a 30-25 scorecard, and you understand why Jones won decisively. Do this for every round of every fight you watch. It forces you to pay attention to the details that matter.

Step 4: Use Scorecards to Identify Real Trends

Once you've scored a few fights, look at the patterns. Did one fighter win the first two rounds but lose the last three? That's a cardio or adjustment issue. Did the champion win every round by a narrow margin? That's a close fight, not a blowout. This is where you start to see the sport's evolution. For example, Royce Gracie won UFC 1 by submitting three opponents in a combined time of 4 minutes and 59 seconds (UFC). That's a perfect example of how early MMA was about finishing, not scoring. But the sport has changed. Now, with the 10-point must system, you can't just bank on a finish—you have to win rounds. That's why Khabib Nurmagomedov was so dominant: he won every round, not just the ones he finished. He retired with a perfect 29-0 record after submitting Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 (BBC Sport). That's a guy who understood the scoring system better than anyone.

Step 5: Watch with a Scorecard in Hand

Here's your homework: next time you watch a fight, print out a scorecard or open a notes app. Score every round, and write down your reasoning. After the fight, compare your scorecard to the judges' official scores. This is the most effective way to improve your fight IQ. You'll start to notice that you're overvaluing aggression or undervaluing control. You'll also start to anticipate what the judges are looking for, which is crucial if you're a fighter or coach. If you can predict the score, you can game-plan for it.

Warning: Don't fall into the trap of "round-based" thinking if you're a fighter. The judges score rounds, but the fight is won by the finish. If you have a chance to finish, take it. A 10-8 round is great, but a knockout is better. Don't let scoring become an excuse for not finishing.

Step 6: Apply This to Your Own Fights

Finally, use this system to break down your own performances. After your next fight, score each round from your perspective. Be honest. Did you win the first round but lose the second? Why? Did you give up a takedown in the third because you were tired? That's a training issue. This is the same method coaches use to game-plan, and it's how you'll improve. You can't just train hard; you have to train smart. And a smart fighter understands the rules. For example, knowing that non-championship bouts are three rounds of five minutes, while championship bouts are five rounds, changes your pacing (New Jersey State Athletic Control Board). If you're in a three-round fight, you can't afford to lose the first round. If you're in a five-round fight, you can be more patient.

Quick tip: When you're watching a fight, mute the commentary. The announcers are biased. Score the fight yourself, then check your scorecard against theirs.

Bottom line

The best move you can make is to stop watching fights as a fan and start scoring them as a judge. It takes practice, but it will transform how you understand the sport. Score every round, use the 10-point must system, and you'll see the fight game with new eyes.

Sources

• New Jersey State Athletic Control Board - https://www.state.nj.us/lps/sacb/docs/martial.html
• UFC - https://www.ufc.com
• MMA Fighting (Jon Jones) - https://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/20/178110/jon-jones-completes-historic-run-becomes-youngest-ufc-champ-eve
• BBC Sport (Khabib) - https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/54681864