Simon takes down Borg at 135 pounds

Albuquerque fighter loses by split decision

Despite his past difficulties making the flyweight limit of 125 pounds, Albuquerque MMA fighter Ray Borg insists he can safely make that weight if again given the chance.

Based on Borg’s split-decision loss to Ricky Simon on Wednesday on a UFC card in a bantamweight (135-pound) fight in Jacksonville, Florida, if he can make 125, he should.

Simon, a career bantamweight, took Borg down seven times en route to the victory with no fans in attendance.

Two judges scored the entertaining, action-fraught fight 29-28 for Simon. One judge had Borg the winner by the same score.

Borg’s record is 13-5. Simon, of Vancouver, Washington, is 16-3.

The Albuquerque fighter fought well on his feet, landing hard shots to the head and the body. But the considerably bigger Simon dominated a phase — takedowns — in which Borg has excelled at flyweight.

Now, the question is whether the UFC would grant Borg a return to flyweight after he weighed in at 128 pounds for his last fight, a victory by unanimous decision over Rogerio Bonterin in the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho on Feb. 15.

Borg entered the bout Wednesday with a two-fight win streak; Simon a two-fight losing streak. But Simon was a slight betting favorite, in part an acknowledgment of his size advantage. COWBOY-PETTIS REVISITED: As controversial MMA outcomes go, Anthony Pettis’ win by unanimous decision Saturday over New Mexico’s Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is not destined for all-time robbery status.

Still, the consensus in the cybersphere is clear: Cowboy got robbed.

All three judges that night scored the fight 29-28 for Pettis. But a majority of fans who scored the fight on the MMA app Verdict had Cerrone winning all three rounds — though by a narrow margin.

ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen scored the fight 30-27 for Cerrone, as did the Albuquerque Journal.

An analysis of the decision by mmafighting.com’s Alexander K. Lee ended thusly: “Robbery.”

In contrast, the reaction to Albuquerquean Michelle Waterson’s splitdecision loss to Carla Esparza on Saturday was muted — mostly expressing puzzlement at one judge having scored the fight 30-27 for Waterson and another 30-27 for Esparza.

On Instagram, Waterson — who registered surprise when the decision was announced — chose not to question the outcome.

“Just like in life,” she posted, “the fight doesn’t always go your way.”