How to score a 10-8 round (and when 10-7 or 10-10 is right)

Most rounds are 10-9. The difficult calls are the ones either side: when a round is so one-sided it deserves 10-8, and when it is so even that 10-10 is correct. Judges who never give 10-8 distort results as much as those who give it too freely.

The scale

Score	Represents
10-9	One athlete won the round, whether narrowly or clearly
10-8	One athlete dominated: a knockdown and control, or overwhelming damage and control
10-7	Extreme dominance: multiple knockdowns or near-stoppage throughout
10-10	No athlete won the round (where the rules permit)

Always follow the specific criteria of the discipline and event.

The three questions for a 10-8

Many judging guides ask judges to consider:

• Impact: did one athlete cause significant damage, knockdowns or near-finishes?
• Dominance: did the other athlete spend most of the round defending, with little effective offence?
• Duration: how much of the round did the dominance last?

A 10-8 usually needs a clear yes to impact and dominance, sustained for a significant part of the round.

Examples

• Kickboxing: a knockdown in the first minute, followed by the knocked-down athlete being outworked and barely landing for the rest of the round: often 10-8.
• Kickboxing: a flash knockdown late in a round the knocked-down athlete had otherwise clearly won: could remain 10-9, or even 10-9 to the knocked-down athlete in some criteria, depending on the rules. Knockdowns weigh heavily but are not automatic 10-8s.
• Muay Thai: sustained clinch dominance with damaging knees and the opponent unable to respond: can be 10-8 even without a knockdown.
• MMA: an athlete controlled on the ground for most of the round while absorbing damaging strikes and escaping near-submissions: often 10-8.
• Boxing: two knockdowns in a round: frequently 10-7 under many boxing criteria.

When 10-10 is right

A 10-10 is for rounds where neither athlete did enough to win. Many rulesets ask judges to find a winner whenever possible, so 10-10 should be rare. It should never be used to avoid a hard decision.

Deductions

A point deduction for a foul is separate. A round scored 10-9 becomes 9-9 if the winner of the round is deducted a point, or 10-8 if the loser is.

In the KBN scoring pad

The pad has buttons for 10-9, 9-10, 10-8, 8-10, 10-10 and 10-7, with knockdown and foul counters for each corner. Record knockdowns even when you give 10-9, because the counters help reviewers understand your score.

How to become a combat sports judge →

A consistency exercise

Score five rounds you consider borderline 10-8 and write down, for each, the impact, dominance and duration you saw. Compare with experienced judges. Over time you will find your threshold aligns with the discipline's guidance, which is the goal: consistent judges make results predictable and fair.

Myths and facts

Myth	Fact
Knockdown equals 10-8	Not automatically; consider the whole round
No knockdown means no 10-8	Overwhelming dominance can justify it
10-8s are unfair to the loser	Under-scoring dominance is equally unfair to the winner

Discipline notes

• Kickboxing: judges often weigh knockdowns heavily, but a round where the knocked-down athlete dominated afterwards may still be 10-9.
• Muay Thai: sustained dominance in the clinch with damaging knees can justify 10-8 without a knockdown.
• Boxing: many judges score a single knockdown round 10-8 and two knockdowns 10-7, subject to the rest of the round.
• MMA: judges consider impact, dominance and duration; a round with a near-finish and sustained damage may be 10-8.

Always follow your event's official judging criteria where they differ from general practice.

Recording your reasoning

Write one line for each 10-8 or 10-7 you give: what happened and why it met the threshold. If a result is later queried, your note helps the officiating supervisor understand the score, and reviewing your notes over a season shows whether your threshold is consistent.

Frequently asked questions