What is the 10-point must system?

In the 10-point must system the round winner must receive 10 points and the loser 9 or fewer. A competitive round is 10-9, a dominant round is 10-8, and a rare overwhelming round is 10-7. The fighter with more total points across all rounds wins on that card.

How does this simulate three judges?

Real fights are scored independently by three judges who can disagree round by round. This tool lets you model that by treating your per-round verdicts as the consensus, then reports how the totals would resolve into a unanimous, majority, or split decision.

What is the difference between a split and majority decision?

A majority decision is when two judges score it for one fighter and the third scores a draw. A split decision is when two judges favour one fighter and the third favours the opponent. A unanimous decision is when all three judges agree on the winner.

Can a fight end in a draw?

Yes. If the point totals are equal the card is a draw. With three judges you can also get a split draw or majority draw depending on how the individual cards land. This tool flags an even total as a draw.

When is a 10-8 round given?

A 10-8 round is awarded when a fighter wins by a wide margin through dominance, duration of control, or impact — for example a round full of heavy ground-and-pound or near-finishes. Unified Rules guidance encourages 10-8s more than they were historically given.

What is the MMA Judges Scorecard Simulator?

Assign a winner and margin (10-9, 10-8, or 10-7) for each round and the tool tallies the three judges' scorecards, applies the 10-point must system, and reports the decision outcome: unanimous, split, majority, or draw. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

MMA Judges Scorecard Simulator

Name: MMA Judges Scorecard Simulator
Creator: Gera Tools
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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MMA decisions are decided round by round under the 10-point must system. This simulator lets you score each round for a 3 or 5-round bout and instantly see how the totals resolve into a unanimous, majority, split, or drawn decision.

How it works

Each round is scored as 10-9, 10-8, or 10-7 to one fighter. Add the round scores for each fighter to get their card total. The fighter with the higher total wins:

round won 10-9 → winner +10, loser +9
round won 10-8 → winner +10, loser +8
round won 10-7 → winner +10, loser +7
card winner    = higher cumulative total

To model three judges, this tool treats your verdicts as the consensus card and reports the decision type. Equal totals are a draw; otherwise the result is a clear win that, with three agreeing judges, reads as a unanimous decision.

Worked example: how a single dominant round swings a card

Consider a 3-round fight:

Round	Winner	Score
1	Fighter A	10-9
2	Fighter B (dominant)	10-8
3	Fighter A	10-9

Fighter A total: 10 + 9 + 10 = 29. Fighter B total: 9 + 10 + 9 = 28. Fighter A wins — but only by a single point, because Fighter B’s 10-8 round neutralized the advantage from winning two rounds. This is why “finishing the round” matters even when a stoppage does not come: a fighter who takes over late in a round and earns a 10-8 can erase the cushion a 2-1 round lead gives the opponent.

Decision types explained

Unanimous decision: all three judges score for the same fighter. The clearest outcome.
Split decision: two judges score for Fighter A, one judge scores for Fighter B. The loser “won” one judge’s card.
Majority decision: two judges score for one fighter, and the third judge scores it a draw. Less common.
Draw: the scorecards balance across all three judges in some combination. The fight result is a no-decision for the record.

Criteria judges use to score a round

Under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, judges evaluate rounds on four criteria, listed in priority order:

Effective striking — clean, accurate strikes that affect the opponent
Effective grappling — takedowns, takedown defense, reversals, and submission attempts
Effective aggression — forward pressure that scores, not just walking forward
Fighting area control — dictating pace, location, and tempo

A 10-9 round should go to whichever fighter was more effective across those criteria. A 10-8 requires clear dominance — for example, a round featuring extended ground-and-pound, near-finish attempts, or a significant knockdown that the opponent recovers from. True 10-7 rounds are extremely rare and reflect near-stoppage dominance.

Tips for using this tool

Use the simulator to practice scoring live fights as you watch them — pausing after each round and committing to your score before the commentators reveal the judges’ scores. This builds the eye for effective striking versus damage, and for when aggression actually changes the round versus when the cleaner fighter defends and counters. Tracking your scores against the official cards over several events reveals your personal scoring biases.