Invicta FC to introduce open scoring during trial run at upcoming Phoenix Series 3 event

Invicta FC will give open scoring a trial run at their upcoming Phoenix Series 3 event on March 6 from Kansas City, Kan.

The promotion made the announcement on Monday with the Kansas Athletic Commission overseeing the event. The Kansas commission will also offer open scoring as an option to all mixed martial arts organizations holding events in the state.

Open scoring essentially reveals how the judges are scoring a fight after each round.

At the upcoming Invicta event, all three judges’ scores will be collected after each round and then provided to the corners of each fighter as well as the promotion’s broadcast team. The scores will also be displayed in a graphic during the broadcast for the audience watching the event on UFC Fight Pass.

“We’ve been considering open scoring for some time and, with the Kansas Athletic Commission’s decision to allow open scoring, we welcome the opportunity to use it on a major MMA promotion for the first time,” Invicta FC president Shannon Knapp said in a statement.

“Invicta FC has always been about innovation. There are theoretical arguments for and against open scoring, but we think anything that could potentially improve the sport is worth trying. We are going into this event with an open mind. Afterwards, will regroup with the commission, our athletes and listen to fan feedback in order to make an informed decision about the future.”

There have been plenty of arguments for and against open scoring over the years.

Just this past weekend at UFC 247 when the main event between Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes ended in a razor-close decision, several fighters argued in favor of open scoring including former featherweight champion Max Holloway.

Invicta FC will introduce open scoring for a trial run at the upcoming event in March but the promotion won’t decide until a later date if they will stick with the program.

The upcoming Phoenix Series 3 event features an eight-woman, one-night bantamweight tournament as well as a fight between undefeated prospect Lisa Verzosa taking on Ultimate Fighter veteran Julija Stoliarenko to crown a new Invicta bantamweight champion.