Piotr Strus and Matt Horwich judges’ verdict created some controversy among KSW fans. We decided to ask the person who crafted the KSW rules and regulation as well as the scoring criteria, KSW chief judge Tomasz Bronder to comment on this decision.

Let me start with presenting the judging criteria which are used by the judges to score the rounds

1.Trying to finish the fight – submission attempts, especially when the technique is fully locked, knockdowns, strikes to the head, significant strikes that affect opponent’s mobility, vision and breathing, number of strikes

2.On the ground – strikes to the head, controlling the opponent, from the bottom – strikes when the opponent is passive (while being on bottom making the opponent to constantly defend).

3.Defensive wrestling, when a fighter is effectively striking, changing the position of the fight

4.When the greater part of the round is contested on the feet, the effective striking is more important than effective grappling and vice versa.

5.Aggressiveness, when there is little effective offense.

1st round started with Horwich getting a takedown and controlling his opponent in the half-guard for two minutes, both fighters threw some strikes, but they were mostly fighting for position. Horwich did not pass the guard. In the third minute Strus swept his opponent and returned to his feet, where he highlighted his supremacy by hard strikes to the head and body. He also swept Horwich to ground by catching his kick. A minute before the end of the round, Horwich took the fight to the floor and stayed in the guard. Just before the bell Strus went back to his feet.

I awarded this round 10-9 to Strus.

Horwich had two takedowns in this round, but he never hit Strus with a significant strike nor gained any position other than guard or half-guard. Strus’ strikes from bottom were more powerful and he attempted a submission technique which gained him a top position. When he stood up, he hit Horwich with strikes to the body and head. According to our criteria these strikes and more active work from bottom, give him the edge.  In the in-between-round break Strus received a yellow card for holding the ropes.

The 2^nd round started in the clinch, where Strus threw some clean strikes to the body and head. Horwich then took him down and stayed in half-guard and guard. Strus went back to his feet, but again landed on bottom after the unsuccessful guillotine attempt. Back in stand-up, he hit his foe with clean strikes to the head and threw leg kicks to Horiwch’s thigh.

I awarded this round 10-9 to Strus.

Similarly to the first round, the effective strikes thrown by Strus won him the round. Horwich had takedowns, controlled the position and hit the Pole with some light punches, but it was Strus strikes and guillotine attempt that won him the round.

The 3^rd round was contested in the clinch with Strus throwing strikes and clinching in turns. The Pole landed some powerful shots and after a takedown, kicked Horwich’s legs. He had another takedown in the end of the round before he moved to back control in the stand-up.

I awarded this round to Strus, but he was deducted the point for holding the ropes, so I scored it 9-9.

In the round Horwich only clinched without throwing any strikes, while Strus was landing punches to the head and kicks to the legs. Strus also had a takedown.

To sum up, it was Strus who was trying to finish the fight. Submission attempts and significant strikes were all on his side. From bottom he was active with strikes and trying to get back to his feet or he was holding his opponent to avoid his offense. Horwich was just going for takedowns and after getting them he wasn’t landing any shots or going for submissions, In the clinch he was mostly holding his opponent.

** Soon we will present the scoring of the fight from MMAnews.pl, MMARocks.pl, Onet.pl, Groundandpound.de and Sherdog.com reporters.