Viviane Araujo blasts judges after losing controversial unanimous decision to Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 262: “I feel wronged”
UFC women’s flyweight contender Viviane Araujo blasted the judges after losing a controversial decision to Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 262.
Araujo appeared to have done enough to win the first two rounds of the fight with her striking and grappling, but when the judges’ scorecards were read, it was a unanimous decision win for Chookagian, with scores of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28. The commentators were surprised by the decision as were a number of fans. The media also slightly leaned towards Araujo winning the fight, though even the ones that leaned towards Chookagian didn’t give her a 30-27 nod.
Speaking to AG Fight, Araujo blasted the judges for the decision. She believes she won the fight and the only thing she will take from the decision defeat is to never leave it in the judges’ hands.
“I feel wronged by the judges. What we expected, in the most absurd of scenarios, was a draw. But a 30-27 scorecard does not exist. We were very sad, we worked a lot, but I am doing much better, I thought a little. I am receiving the affection of the fans, everyone indignant. I didn’t even want to say anything, because the result is over and will not change. Now it is working hard and not leaving it in the hands of the referees, especially in a fight outside Brazil,” Araujo said.
Araujo, a Brazilian, also believes that the judges sided with Chookagian in the fight partly because she was an American fighter and the fight took place in Houston, Texas.
“I think it played a role. There is no way to go for it that way. I do not understand. It was an injustice, but it is a step forward, learning and coming back stronger. Now it’s time to go and take their heads off. I felt really bad afterward. It’s back to training, fixing some things and I think that if we get rematched we will accept it because it has repercussions. If there was a rematch, it would be ideal,” she said.
Who do you want to see Viviane Araujo fight next after losing on the judges’ scorecards to Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 262?
