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Fans of the UFC and combat sports know that a fight ending in a draw means there isn't a conclusive winner. But what exactly is a split draw?
A split draw occurs when one judge picks the red corner fighter, and the other judge picks the blue corner fighter, while the third scores the bout a draw. That's exactly what happened in the light heavyweight bout between Ion Cutelaba and Dustin Jacoby at UFC Vegas 25.
A 15-minute slugfest between rivals Cutelaba and Jacoby ended without a conclusive winner at UFC Vegas 25. After three rounds, the judges scored the contest 29-28 in favor of Cutelaba, 29-28 for Jacoby, and 28-28 respectively, for a split draw.
How Ion Cutelaba and Dustin Jacoby got to a split draw:
Cutelaba put on a strong performance in the opening round, but Jacoby was able to withstand the onslaught and bounced back in the second and third rounds.
Ion Cutelaba was hungry for a win after suffering back-to-back losses against Magomed Ankalaev in 2020. This was evident when he took on the role of aggressor early on and dominated the first round.
However, Dustin Jacoby's experience shone as he remained composed despite losing a round. In the second, Jacoby was able to pick away at his opponent on the feet to gain some points back.
Cutelaba, on the other hand, paid the price for expending too much energy in the opening round as he started showing signs of slowing down.
As the match went into the final round, the two combatants utilized opposing approaches. It was a back-and-forth brawl, but Dustin Jacoby patiently landed combinations while Cutelaba was headhunting with heavy shots.
A classic UFC rivalry in the making:
Even before the fight, Cutelaba and Jacoby were at odds with one another. Things got heated between the pair during the UFC Vegas 25 weigh-ins.
Ion Cutelaba apparently couldn't wait until fight night to put his hands on Dustin Jacoby. The two stared each other down, and Cutelaba went on to grab Jacoby by the back of his head. Jacoby was infuriated by Cutelaba's antics as he pushed the Moldovan fighter away.
With their UFC Vegas 25 showdown ending in a split draw, a rematch between Cutelaba and Jacoby in the near future is inevitable.
