Those all look uncomfortable to play and like nothing I ever saw in an actual arcade.

I don't think they look uncomfortable to play, but I do agree that some of them are more arcade-inspired than others. I thought the UCA's were to have categories such as upright, small form factor, etc. and then pick the best out of each category for a year period. It seems with that being the criteria, it shouldn't be difficult for a few guys to find all the possible entries for a year and then whittle down those to a winner. Compared to the Mameys, I like the structure that the UCA has.
I might be over simplifying, but it's simply a nod to the best build in the category their cabinet falls in for that year. It can't always be a bleeding edge design or technology and it doesn't always have to be a retro cabinet. It sounds like the UCA's is having a bit of an identity crisis.
In my post above, I think I found all the cabarets in 2016. There are 10 pages of projects that go back to 2016. I don't think it's an impossible task to review them and find the completed cabinets in the categories and give them a vote.