Tyrell Fortune beats Marcin Tybura in UFC debut amid scorecard error
Tyrell Fortune has secured a victory on his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Marcin Tybura in Seattle after a scorecard reading error initially awarded the fight to his opponent.
The heavyweight contender was already walking back to the tunnel when officials spotted the mistake and summoned him back to the Octagon.
Veteran cage announcer Bruce Buffer had incorrectly read the judges’ scorecards in favour of the Polish fighter during the Saturday night bout.
The judges ultimately scored the contest 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 to award a unanimous decision to the American.
Overcoming initial frustration
The 35-year-old had accepted the Fight Night matchup on just two weeks’ notice.
The Northwest native believed his performance was lacking before the corrected decision was announced to the crowd.
“I was so upset with myself. I felt I didn’t do enough,” stated Fortune.
“With two weeks’ notice, I feel like I did a good job, but I also need to come with a better performance next time.”
A remarkable journey to the top
The former NCAA Division II national wrestling champion has taken an arduous path to reach mixed martial arts’ premier promotion.
During his amateur wrestling career in 2012, he suffered severe health complications during a weight cut and was temporarily pronounced dead.
Following a complete medical recovery, the highly-touted prospect steadily built his professional resume across multiple rival organisations.
He previously competed in Bellator from 2016 until 2023, before making two appearances in the Professional Fighters League prior to this promotional debut.
