PFL 1 2022: Raush Manfio Wants More Clarity from MMA Judges

Arlington, TX — Raush Manfio says MMA judges need to be more transparent.

Defending PFL lightweight champion Manfio (16-3) picked up a come-from-behind knockout win against UFC vet Don Madge to kick off his 2022 PFL season. The knockout got him four points and put him in first place in the lightweight division.

With Manfio’s incredible come from behind knockout and the Clay Collard putting on a Fight of the Year contender against Jeremy Stephens, you would think Manfio would be excited for a potential rematch with Collard.

He isn’t.

“No. Not Really,” Manfio told Cageside Press during his post-fight interview. “I think maybe they put us in a rematch with me and Clay Collard because he won. But then I remember as well, last season they put one guy with a victory with a guy with a loss. So, it probably is not going to happen. But if he wins again, we are going to see each other in the playoffs.”

Manfio doesn’t understand the criticism of his split decision win over Collard because he feels he clearly won. He says MMA judges need to be more clear.

“I watched the fight many times, and I scored it for me all the time,” Manfio said. “I think to be honest, with the judges— they need to be more clear when they judge the fights. Okay, what counts for points? Why they didn’t count points? Because tonight, I saw Natan [Schulte] fight. I spoke with him; after the fight was over, I was like ‘Natan won.’ And then the judges give it Olivier Aubin-Mercier,” Manfio said.

“So I was like, how do they make these decisions? It is good for us fighters to know because if a takedown scores more points than a knockdown, then I gotta look for the takedown first, continued Manfio. “So, I think they need to be more clear about when they judge a fight because it’s always a surprise.”

Manfio is just the latest fighter to criticize MMA judging, and he won’t be the last. The defending PFL lightweight champion will return to action in June.

Watch the rest of Raush Manfio’s PFL 1 post-fight interview above. More coverage from the event can be found below.