After controversial loss, UFC's Ross Pearson to receive $30,000 win bonus

Despite a loss at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night 42 event, Ross Pearson will receive his win bonus.

Pearson (15-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC), who suffered a baffling split-decision loss to fellow lightweight Diego Sanchez (25-7 MMA, 14-7 UFC) at the June 7 event in Albuquerque, N.M., will receive the $30,000 he would’ve normally received as his win bonus.

UFC President Dana White announced the decision on Tuesday.

“Diego lost that fight,” White told UFC.com. “The judge who judged that fight should never be judging fights again. He never should be judging fights of this caliber. He needs to go back down into the amateurs and really learn how to judge a fight.

“First of all, you gave every round to Diego, who got dropped in the second round. It was a knockdown. How does Diego win that round? It’s not possible. I don’t know how you can vote against him, but it goes to show that you’re never safe. That’s as bad as it gets.”

Sanchez, who hails from Albuquerque, got the judges’ nod via 27-30, 30-27 and 29-28 scores (Jeff Collins issued the 30-27 score for Sanchez) in the night’s FOX Sports 1-televised co-headliner. However, 14 of 14 media outlets scored the fight for Sanchez, according to mmadecisions.com, and 13 of the 14 scored it a 30-27 shutout.

According to ESPN.com, White has ruled out the possibility of a rematch and said UFC officials will informally treat it as a win for Pearson, who was on a 3-1 run (with one no-contest) before the setback.

Also see:

• UFC Fight Night 42 results, photos: Ross Pearson robbed, loses to Diego Sanchez
• UFC Fight Night 42: Diego Sanchez vs. Ross Pearson fight video highlights
• Sanchez-Pearson decision might be worst in MMA history, and that’s saying something
• Photo, poll: Diego Sanchez vs. Ross Pearson scorecard from UFC Fight Night 42
• Ross Pearson appeals UFC Fight Night 42 loss to Diego Sanchez

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 42, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.