On August 2, 2009, everyone who stayed up until 3:30am found out what exactly a ‘Must Decide Split Decision’ was. At Sengoku 9, Marlon Sandro and Michihiro Omigawa fought a rather even-sided battle (although I’m sure a lot of you out there will beg to differ). In the end, this bout (which took place in the third round of the Sengoku Featherweight Grandprix) went to the judges after both fighters managed to retain their consciousness from fifteen minutes of straight bludgeoning. The scores were 30-30, 30-30 and 30-29 for Marlon Sandro. In any other logical circumstance, this would undeniably result in a unanimous decision win for Marlon Sandro. However, the Sengoku Featherweight Grandprix was governed under the rules of a ‘no tie/must decision’ system to prevent the tournament from being halted by a potential draw. Essentially, this meant that judges were instructed to score the bout with the ten-point system but in the event that their scores resulted in a draw, they would be forced to decide a winner from the statistical tie. Yeah, nearly two years later it still doesn’t make any sense. The two judges who scored the bout ’30-30′ unanimously decided that Omigawa won the bout. Marlon Sandro’s superhuman-like 14-0 win streak was over due to a technicality that would only happen in Japan.
Later that night, Omigawa was on the losing end of another controversial decision that led to Kanehara being awarded the Sengoku Featherweight belt. Now equip your flux capacitor and set your Delorean to June 20, 2010, Kanehara’s first Sengoku featherweight title defense against none other than your boy, Marlon Sandro. If you don’t remember the bout, then you probably can recollect this animated .gif of Marlon Sandro claiming his Sengoku featherweight strap via thermo-nuclear uppercut. It’s perhaps the most flush upopercut ever landed in MMA, and if the bout happened on American soil, it would be on the ESPN Sportscenter rotisserie ad infinitum.
Now that Bellator has announced they’ve signed Marlon Sandro, expect things to get highly complicated in the featherweight division. Unfortunately, Sandro will not be competing in Belaltor’s featherweight tournament this year, but he will compete in 2011. Don’t worry, I already have the popcorn ready for Joe Warren vs. Marlon Sandro, because you just know it’s coming. [Source]
