Mike Winkeljohn “disappointed” with “goofball” judges that scored Holly Holm-Ketlen Vieira fight: “It’s not fair to the fighters”

Mike Winkeljohn was shocked when he heard Ketlen Vieira being announced as the winner in her UFC Vegas 55 main event fight against Holly Holm.

Winkeljohn, a coach of Holm, was confident his pupil had won the fight when the final bell rang. It was a close competitive fight, but Holm had nearly double the significant strikes of Vieira and had almost nine more minutes of control so, for Winkeljohn, he doesn’t know how Vieira got her hand raised.

“When it went to the scorecards, we were already planning our celebration. We were a tad disappointed we didn’t get the finish but there were a lot of things that were going on behind the scenes but I still thought we easily won the fight,” Winkeljohn said to BJPENN.com on Tuesday about Holly Holm’s loss. “Definitely expecting a win and was just shocked we lost. When we heard a split decision, I thought one judge was just a goofball and the third judge would get it right, but nope that didn’t happen. After the fight you saw Holly and Ketlen’s reaction, fighters know, corners know who really won, and you heard your corner in between rounds. That’s all I can say, I’m just disappointed because it’s not fair to the fighters.”

After the fight ended, Mike Winkeljohn said he spoke to Marc Ratner about how judges are being held accountable and what the UFC and the commissions can do.

For Winkeljohn, he believes two judges cost Holly Holm the shot at cementing her legacy, as well as the result of the fight. The coach believes had Holm won, she would’ve gotten a title shot, and after that, he would’ve liked to see her box, Katie Taylor. Yet, for now, that is on the backburner.

“Some judges don’t understand that body kicks and leg kicks take their toll and people don’t give them enough credit, it’s a shame,” Winkeljohn concluded about Holm’s loss. “It’s a shame because you are talking about a potential title shot and in my mind was win this one and then get a title shot and after that maybe she gets into boxing and gets that Katie Taylor fight. What a great way to end her career and all that got taken away from now at least from some guys watching something else.”

Do you agree with Mike Winkeljohn?