Modestas Bukauskas Stunned by Judges' Split Decision After UFC 315 Victory Over Ion Cutelaba

Modestas Bukauskas walked away from UFC 315 with a win, but the judges’ scorecards left plenty of people scratching their heads — including Bukauskas himself. His split decision over Ion Cutelaba sparked confusion, as two judges somehow saw the fight as a 30-27 shutout — one for each fighter.

“When I heard 30-27 for Cutelaba, I couldn’t believe it,” Bukauskas said at the post-fight press conference. “Then to hear 30-27 for me — it was like, what were they watching? I definitely felt I won two rounds, but those scores were baffling.”

The official scorecards showed no consensus: one judge gave every round to Bukauskas, another saw it entirely for Cutelaba, and the third settled on a more reasonable 29-28 for Bukauskas — enough to tip the fight in his favor.

With the win, Bukauskas moves to 18-6 and keeps building momentum in the UFC’s light heavyweight ranks.

The decision quickly became a hot topic on the UFC broadcast. Daniel Cormier didn’t mince words, calling the 30-27 card for Bukauskas “trash” and questioning how judge Pasquale Procopio, who hadn’t officiated a UFC fight in nearly ten years, was assigned to the bout.

For Bukauskas, it was a bittersweet moment — a win on paper, but not one that felt entirely satisfying. He expressed gratitude for the result but stressed the need for better judging across the sport.

As he continues his climb, this fight might be remembered less for the action in the cage and more for the controversy outside it.