Controversy at UFC London
Movsar Evloev edged Lerone Murphy via a controversial decision at The O2 — Murphy suffered a hip injury in Round 4, Evloev had a point deducted for a low blow, and the result denied Murphy a title shot while sparking loud arena backlash. (the-independent.com) Fan recaps and video highlight the dispute over rounds and scoring. (x.com)
UFC Fight Night 270 took place at The O2 in London on March 21, 2026, with the promotion listing the main event on the official bout sheet. (ufc.com) Two judges — Ben Cartlidge and Derek Cleary — scored the main event 48-46 while Clemens Werner returned a 47-47 card; the bout page on MMA Decisions also names Marc Goddard as the referee. (mmadecisions.com) An aggregation of media scorecards collected by MMA Decisions shows a preponderance of 47-47 draw cards from outlets including Sherdog, MMAJunkie and MMAMania, with several independent writers scoring the fight 46-48 in favor of Murphy. (mmadecisions.com) Stat lines published by ESPN list Evloev’s ledger at 20-0 after the night and show the final strike and takedown totals that shaped the late rounds. (espn.com) UFC president Dana White told reporters Evloev was “in great position” for a title shot and pushed back on claims of judging controversy in post-fight remarks. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) Reaction from fighters, pundits and fans was widespread on social platforms and in post-fight roundups, with outlets compiling social posts and clips that spotlight disputed rounds and judging disagreements. (cincinnati.com) Evloev posted a defiant message after the event addressing critics and pressing for next-step contention, while outlets and analysts continue to debate the round-by-round math used on the scorecards. (si.com)
