The UFC is alive and well today because it has rules. The UFC has many of the world’s best fighters and is arguably the best MMA production in the world. Without a firm commitment to its rules, the UFC would be by now ancient history. But the UFC may have overdone it with some of its rules.
There are 31 "do-not" rules in the UFC. A Wikipedia/UFC website search doesn’t say what the penalties are for infraction of these rules. Let's have a look at eight of these rules.
Rule 24: Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
What constitutes abusive language? The seven words George Carlin considered curse-words? If these rules were enforced, virtually every fight would end in a disqualification. Come on! Dana White himself can’t adhere to that rule. And the fighters curse left and right, especially when they’re robbed by an over-cautious referee.
Rule 31: Throwing in the towel during competition.
What? You are a fighter’s manager/trainer. When you send your guy into the octagon, you automatically lose the option to save your fighter from unnecessary punishment? What if the referee is too slow in calling the fight?
What if your guy can’t tap because his arms are pinned and his verbal tap out cannot be heard over the crowd noise? What if your fighter has both eyes swollen shut but he’s still trying to go toe-to-toe with his opponent? I’d want to be allowed to save my fighter. Solution? Allow the towel.
Rule 17: Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
That’s all it says. Is a standing hook-kick to the body illegal if the heel connects to the kidney area? And why are heel-kicks to the kidneys not allowed while in the guard?
If my nose is broken and I’m bleeding like Niagara Falls because my face is being elbowed while in the guard I’d want to distract the guy with a few dozen heel-kicks to the kidneys. No sanctioned MMA fighter had to have a kidney removed due to heel-strikes.
Rule 10: Striking downward using the point of the elbow.
Okay. Is there another part of the human elbow beside the point? If you are not using your elbow to turn your opponents face into ground chuck, then you are forearm-smashing him.
If you are not using your forearm, that means you are using the point of your elbow. What is the referee going to do when a fighter’s barrages of forearm strikes are mixed with some elbow strikes? Solution? Lose the rule.
Rule 4: Hair pulling.
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about 1 month ago
Rule 31 is put in place so that throwing in the towel constitutes disqualification. Which is the whole point of throwing in the towel. If the rule wasn't there, then throwing in the towel would not stop the fight.
The wording of the rule has completely gone over your head, and you're arguing against something that is already in place.
about 1 month ago
The rule didn't go over my head; what you typed did though...huh?
about 1 month ago
Joseph, I had fun reading the article. Lol, I cant support with hair pulling though. Although most fighters would cut their hair close enough to where it wouldn't matter. Clay Guida would be the only one really affected =)
from about 1 month ago
Like Samson, Clay would lose his legendary strength if he were to cut his hair. We surely can't have that now, can we?
from about 1 month ago
Can't agree with hair pulling either, if you allow this than you might as well make the sport no hold barred. The pulling of the hair can complete change the outcome and will make the fight look like a bloodsport again if you don't believe me look at the old Erik Paulson vs James Warring fight
about 1 month ago
Thanks, Brian,
I had a little extra space, so I thought I'd toss in the hair thing...
about 1 month ago
I am in agreement on the weight issue for sure, but not really with the others, although they did set up the weight limit very well.
about 1 month ago
Rule 31 states that throwing in the towel will stop the fight. Isn't that what you're arguing for? It doesn't say you can't throw in the towel, it says if you do throw in the towel the fight will be stopped.
If Rule 31 wasn't there, throwing in the towel would mean nothing and the fight would continue.
about 1 month ago
Well said Bob.
I don't think rule 24 is enforced..if it were then all of Nick Diaz's fights in the UFC would have ended in disqualification lol.
about 1 month ago
I do think they should create a Super Heavyweight division, probably starting at 250. Shane Carwin vs. Brock Lesnar is 2009!
about 1 month ago
Rule 31 (as in rule 1 to rule 31) is under UFC FOULS. That means the towel is NOT allowed to be thrown. If the towel rule were legal, it would fall under "ways to end the fight" or "match outcome" section. If rule 31 means that throwing in the towel to deliberately disqualify the fighter is legal, then rule 31 does not belong in the foul or "do not" section. It belongs in the "ways to end the fight" and the "match outcome" section...which it is not.
about 1 month ago
Moreover, under "Match outcome," it states: "corner stoppage (a fighter's own corner signals defeat for their own fighter)" Since throwing in the towel is not permitted, then obviously, the corners "signal" may not include throwing the towel in the ring or cage.
And there's your proof, Bob.
Since I am the first person on B/R whose article or post you've responded to, on behalf of all the great writers here, allow me to welcome you to our community.
about 1 month ago
Joe, most of these rules did not exist until UFC went to the state boxing comissions to get sanctioned. The myopic "boxig" regulators asked for most of these rules to be in place in order for the fights to be sanctioned. In other words, if these rules disappeared, so would MMA
about 1 month ago
Tell me Joe, what do you think would happen if a corner threw a towel into the ring? Do you think the ref would just throw it back? You seem pretty hung up on which heading the UFC rules fall under, instead of focusing on interpretation of the rule. If a fighter's corner throws a towel into the ring, that fighter is disqualified due to corner stoppage and fight is over. That is exactly how the rules read. Throwing in the towel is a foul, and is considered grounds for disqualification. Notice that corner interference is also under fouls. Do you interpret that to mean that a fighter's corner has no means to stop a fight? No, it means IF they interfere, the fight will be forfeited. Just like IF they throw in a towel, the fight will be forfeited.
Could they have put 'Corner Stoppage' or 'Interference by the Corner' under 'Ways to win'? Sure they could have. The result is the same. It doesn't mean the rule doesn't exist.
about 1 month ago
Micheal,
The beginning of my article verifies what you've posted here.
about 1 month ago
I'm tired of arguing back with you, Bob.
I'm glad you support my other rule change proposals. 7 out of 8 isn't bad.
So long.
about 1 month ago
I agree with the heel kicks to the kidney rule. I remember when Royce Gracie used those very effectively to distract opponents.
I somewhat agree about the weight classes. I believe the weight classes will be adjusted over the next few years. However, I don't think we'll see a 265+ division. There simply wouldn't be enough quality fighters to support the weight class.
Those are about the only two I agree with, but I enjoyed reading the article!!
about 1 month ago
Hey man, good read. I agree with some of these. You should definitely be able to heel kick a kidney. I did not know that was against the rules, but I wondered why I wasn't seeing guys who were in full guard pecking away at the kidneys. It seemed the logical thing to do.
The downward striking elbow rule is only enforced when the guy who has pulled guard is hammering the top of the other guys head. Even then, they usually let them get a few in sans warning. I also agree with changing this rule. If you're on the bottom and can create that separation, why shouldn't you be able to drop some elbows?
I agree with the cage grabbing and glove holding, too. Get those out.
Hair pulling might have to stay... Clay Guida is also the fighter who came to mind. He just wouldn't be the same!
Weight class was a result of the boxing commision. If there were more fighters, a super-heavy class would be awesome, there just aren't enough to make it interesting.
about 1 month ago
The elbow one confuses me. Is it new? If not, someone should let KenFlo know.
And the weight classes have always bothered me. Why is it 20 between weight classes, except heavyweight? No fighter can be between 207-214 and fight in the octagon. And why is there a 40 discrepancy for heavyweights. Why can we cut the class in half and add a super heavyweight? Couture might still have a career.
about 1 month ago
The elbow confuses me too, Jon. The rule says no, but it's freely done. I also agree with your heavyweight cut. 40-pounds is way too much.
about 1 month ago
I was going to air my take about why on earth the UFC uses the 10-point must scoring system, Brad. But I'll save that for another article.
MMA is very little in common with boxing, but the UFC has made its product too "boxing like" with its weight classes and some of its rules. rules. For instance, I think they should allow knees to the head.
What do you think?
from about 1 month ago
Oh, definitely. I love a knee to the head. Put the guy in the front face lock, take him down to the ground, then knee the top of his head. In UFC, the only way to knee legally is that Muy Thai-style knee where you grab the back of the head in the clinch and go for it. I guess you could go for a flying knee, a la Kid Yamamoto, but that's pretty hard to come by.
It's my understanding (weasel words) that the UFC had to accomodate the boxing commisions rules to be allowed to compete in other states. As you probably remember, it used to be that Colorado was the only place they could find both the laws and the limited liability insurance to make the event possible. Now more states allow it than not, due in no small part to the addition of all those rules.
Man, you definitely have an entire article brewing with the 10-point scoring system. I mean, who would have won round one between Lesnar and Couture? If you understand what each man is trying to accomplish, then its really hard to say who was doing the better job.
What the UFC does right, it does right business-wise as well as recruiting the highest percentage of top talent in the world. Of course, you could say that forcing the top tennis players in the world to play ping-pong against one another is a poor idea, but hey, you say potato, I say po-tah-to.
about 1 month ago
My Jersey accent say's boxing rules scoring have no place in MMA. LOL. Pride FC did great with their scoring...and judges were Martial Arts insiders. The UFC uses former boxing judges. How messed up is that? Cecil Peoples as a UFC judge? That's wrong on so many levels.
I do say "potato." But "po-tah-to" sounds classier. Also, I think Randy one round one.
Thanks for your knowledgeable input, Brad. I always appreciate hearing from you.
about 1 month ago
Fantastic job on the article, Joseph. Well written, provocative, funny ... awesome.
I agree with most of your changes, especially about the heavyweights. We all know Brock is walking into the Octagon weighing at least 275-280. Why sugercoat it? Plus, we could finally see Mark Hunt and Mighty Mo grace the Octagon.
But hair pulling? Is this MMA, or are two fairies fighting over who used their pink razor in the shower? Come on.
And fence grabbing simply cannot be allowed. Guys who have a strong grip (Nogueira) would never even get taken down. Plus, it's really, REALLY annoying.
Stay tuned for Part four today or tomorrow!
about 1 month ago
Thanks your your feedback, Marcus,
I tossed in the hair-pulling very light-heartedly. But that's how Royce Gracie beat Kimo in UFC III.
from about 1 month ago
Hahah thats right! Kimo's ponytail was all over the Octagon after that one.
about 1 month ago
I agree with the elbows rule...change it.....Although Anderson Silva's G&P would be unstoppable then!
29 days ago
31 fighter using profown language in the octagon should be alright. but saying it on the mic when the person who won or lost the fight swears well then you got to do something about that. because he swore on tv. in front of almost 2,000 or maybe more i dunno. and now 24 throwing in the towel the manager should have that doeing. hes the one that helped that fighter get so far so he should have one right. but in a fight its 50-50 you win or lose. so the manager has a 50-50 to win or lose and watch your fighter/buddy walkin and tell you we lost and you got blood on my carpet. 10wl i think this one should do well you can fuck someone up real bad even though getting punched in the face isnt bad imagen getting someones pointy elbow to your eye socket ouch i bet. i rather have a fist not the pointy end of an elbow to my face body eye or wherever.theres reasons theres rules in ufc and the world so no one gets hurt doing what there trying to do.
26 days ago
The foul language rule is rarely imposed, but is designed to keep the image of the sport fan friendly. Dana White does swear, but the majority of a UFC PPV broadcast is generally fairly clean.
The heel to the kidney rule i've never seen enacted., but i suppose it could be eliminated.
The elbow rule is currently under review. Some sanctioning bodies are considering changing that rule so that it simply rules out strikes to the back of the head and neck... Although preventing someone from putting the point of their elbow into someone's jaw or eye socket isn't the worst possible idea.
The grabbing of the fence rule is partly about fighter safety, and partly about making the fights more watchable. People have had their fingers and toes broken or torn off due to grabbing the fence. Limiting grabbing the fence should help limit those injuries. Furthermore, if you want to see fights that get to the ground, and have good ground battles, the fence rule makes it harder for people to stay on their feet.
The only other option would be to have some sort of wall that the fighters can't grab on to. Generally though, good enforcement of the fence rule makes fights watchable, and is the best solution possible, barring changing the actual fighting ring/octagon.
The holding the gloves rule is also somewhat about making the sport watchable. It's like the obstruction rule in hockey. Grabbing gloves eliminates offense, and makes the fight less watchable. Furthermore, it's part of the rules to eliminate small-joint manipulation. Martial arts moves that involve wrist and finger manipulation are effective, but often lead to ugly and quick injuries. These injuries are enough to end fights, but they aren't very good for the sport of MMA. Thats why this rule is neccessary.
The 265 lb weight limit is actually something that some athletic commissions insist upon. Athletic commissions sometimes insist that for a fight to be sanctioned, the two fighters must be close in weight. But the rule also works to help insure that fighters don't come into the fight out of shape, and grossly overweight. That being said, there aren't many fighters out there who actually would have trouble making the 265 lb limit. There simply isn't enough talent above 265 to have a super heavyweight division, and most of those fighters are overweight, and not very marketable anyway.
26 days ago
If fighters come into the UFC grossly overweight, how long do you think Dana is gonna let them stay? Hell, that moron is already cutting legitimate fighters left and right. I'm sticking to my guns...they should lose the rule.
And fighters lost have fingers and toes in sanctioned MMA from grabbing the fence? who?
Also, I never suggested that the small joint manipulation rule should be eliminated.
26 days ago
Martin,
Did you think I wrote an article suggesting the UFC should have no rules? Maybe you should reread it.
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