Jamal Pogues disagrees with the judges in his latest fight, to put it gently.
Following a narrow split decision loss to Hamdy Abdelwahab—in which one judge scored the bout 30-27 in Pogues’ favor—at UFC Saudi Arabia on Saturday, Pogues took to social media to air his frustrations concerning the verdict.
“We know we got robbed,” Pogues said via Instagram Stories. “There’s not really much to say when you fight in people’s f*cking country and shit, they’re going to pick the hometown guy [Editor note: Abdelwahab is from Egypt, not Saudi Arabia, and fights out of New York]. I know I won two and three. Other than that, I really don’t know what’s next. We’ll see what the UFC do, if they re-sign me or not. If not, I appreciate everything about this journey. F*ck, just go back home, heal up, and just hang out with my family. We’ll see where God takes me next.”
Pogues certainly has a case for a win. According to UFC Stats, he scored more significant strikes (by no means a clear indicator of victory) in all three rounds, including a 22-11 advantage in Round 1 and a 22-12 advantage in Round 2. On MMA Decisions, media scores were split, with five having it 29-28 Abdelwahab, six having it 29-28 Pogues, and two having it 30-27 Pogues.
Even the two judges that scored the fight for Abdelwahab weren’t in agreement, with Ben Cartlidge giving Abdelwahab the second and third, and Sal D’Amato giving him the first and second.
Still, Pogues is resolute that he was robbed of a win and he plans to make a formal complaint to the commission.
“I know I won the f*cking fight,” Pogues said. “We’re about to get this shit overturned. I’m going to the commission, f*ck that shit. Everybody in the world saw me win that f*cking fight. I don’t know what to say. I don’t give a f*ck what nobody say. F*ck Hamdy and anybody else that went against me because I know I won that f*cking fight.”
Pogues fell to 2-2 in the UFC with the loss, and 11-5 as a pro.
