UFC Vegas 116 tied the UFC record for most fights going to decision on a single card, with 11 of 13 bouts reaching the judges' scorecards. The previous record was set at UFC 263. The post humorously suggests those who chose sleep over watching the event made a wise decision given the lack of finishes. Only two fights ended early: McVeigh's submission victory and Spann's knockout. The outcome disappointed fans expecting more action-packed finishes.
UFC Vegas 116 went down in the record books for all the wrong reasons Saturday night, as the event tied the all-time UFC mark for most decisions on a single card with 11 of 13 bouts going to the judges.
The figure matches the record previously set at UFC 263, meaning two separate events in UFC history have now produced that level of judge dependency in a single night. With only two fights ending before the final bell, the card leaned almost entirely on scorecards to determine its winners.
The two finishes that did arrive came from McVeigh, who secured a submission victory, and Spann, who closed his bout with a knockout. Those two outcomes represented the entirety of the night's stoppages across a 13-fight card.
Why it matters
- Eleven decisions on one card ties the all-time UFC record, first set at UFC 263
- Only two finishes — one submission and one knockout — across the entire event
- The heavy reliance on judges raises questions about matchmaking and finishing incentives at the Vegas-based cards
Fan reaction to the card was notably muted, with the volume of decisions drawing criticism from those who had tuned in expecting a more action-heavy night. The lack of finishes on a 13-fight card is a statistical outlier even by the standards of decision-heavy Fight Night events, and the tie with UFC 263 gives the result an uncomfortable place in the record books. The two fighters who did manage finishes, McVeigh and Spann, provided the only moments of decisive action on an otherwise grinding evening.
