The UFC 302 co-main event matchup between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa largely underwhelmed in the eyes of most fans. However, most were certain when the final horn sounded that the former middleweight champion had taken care of business, which is why everyone was surprised to hear that one judge scored the bout in favor of Costa, resulting in a split decision.
Of those surprised by the judging, Dana White was perhaps the most critical. In his backstage interview following the event’s conclusion, the company CEO cut the accountable judge no slack, saying he should not be involved in any future UFC events.
Dana White Criticizes UFC 302 Judge
"That guy should never ref a big fight again. They should kick him back to the minor leagues."
Dana White goes OFF on judge Dave Tirelli's "insane" scorecard for Paulo Costa at #UFC302. pic.twitter.com/ci0u854iiv
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) June 2, 2024
As he typically does after events in which he is in attendance, Dana White spoke to media representatives in Newark following UFC 302. In his response to the co-main event, White ripped judge Dave Tirelli for scoring the five-round fight in favor of Paulo Costa.
White said:
“[That score card] wasn’t weird, it was f****** nuts. It was insane. That guy should never ref a big fight again. They should kick him back down into the minor leagues and let him work on his judging. It’s unbelievable. How anybody who isn’t an absolute f****** lunatic could call that fight a split decision — I don’t even know what to say about that.”
Tirelli’s score of 49-46 for Costa implies that he felt the 33-year-old won four of the five rounds. The two other judges of the fight — Chris Lee and Sal D’Amato — scored the fight one-sided in favor of ‘Tarzan.’ Lee gave all five rounds to Strickland while D’Amato scored the fight 4-1 in favor of the former champion.
Sean Strickland Defeat Paulo Costa in the UFC 302 Co-Main Event
While the significant strike totals of the UFC 302 co-main event suggested a high volume, back-and-forth action fight, Sean Strickland essentially dominated the action from beginning to end, constantly pushing Paulo Costa backward and effortlessly defending nearly every offer from the Brazilian. In the end, many watching the fight other than Dave Tirelli firmly believed Strickland had comfortably won a decision.
Costa saw minor success in the first round with his leg kicks but uncharacteristically began to backpedal for the entire round behind the consistent pressure of Strickland. Strickland forcing ‘Borrachinha’ onto his back foot would become a theme of the fight, with Costa beginning to tire quickly across the course of 25 minutes.
Known for his power and pressure, Costa struggled to get past the awkward defense of his opponent. Instead, Strickland would be the fighter seemingly landing the more punishing blows, knocking Costa down and off-balance on several occasions, including in the final round with a head kick.
Sean Strickland Called for a Title Shot With UFC 302 Win
After his dominant win at UFC 302, Sean Strickland called for another title shot in his next outing. As the former UFC middleweight champion, the outspoken fan favorite won the title at UFC 293 with one of the biggest title fight upsets in promotional history.
Strickland would lose the belt in his following fight, dropping a split decision at UFC 297 against Dricus du Plessis. The new champion has yet to defend his title as Strickland doubled down on his campaign for a rematch with ‘Still Knocks’ on the grounds of his belief that the title was wrongfully taken from him.
About the Author
Jaren Kawada is a freelance sports writer from Indianapolis, Indiana by way of Honolulu, Hawaii with a strong passion for MMA and sports betting. Kawada has also written for Sportskeeda MMA, FanSided MMA, and BetSided as a combat sports analyst. Follow on X/Twitter at @jarenkawada1 or on Instagram at @kawadajaren.
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