I have been thinking about this most recent KC event, specifically on 2 of the fights and their outcomes.
I believe that we should abolish the NC rule entirely. If a fighter decides to quit. (Not a stoppage by the ref or the doctor) than that would be considered a loss and the rewards go to the other fighter’s voters.
It is true that No Contest decisions are rare, however we could see this again and removing this possibility from the equation may be wise.
A fighter who willingly decides to not continue should be determined a loss for that fighter, regardless of the length of the fight.
It’s not fair to the opponent, fans and voters.
If a Fight is stopped by the ref/doctor for medical reasons than the token payout would be rolled over to next event.
NC’s resulting from an accidental illegal strike are an important aspect of all combat sports. It’s unfortunate when it happens to a fighter who was clearly losing prior to the illegal strike, but the rule protects all fighters in all circumstances and is a matter of safety. And even in that unfortunate situation, an NC is better than a loss for the fighter who delivered the illegal blow.
I agree that there is a difference between a one-time unintentional illegal blow, unfortunately ending a match, and repeated illegal blows resulting in a disqualification. A NC and a DQ have different intent behind them, in my opinion. Again this boils down to league rules set forth properly and referees that are educated well enough to make the right call in the heat of the moment.