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Tag: ABC

  • Daniel Cormier Explains Why He Opposes 12-6 Elbows: ‘The Moment We Start Opening Those Rules…’ 

    Daniel Cormier Explains Why He Opposes 12-6 Elbows: ‘The Moment We Start Opening Those Rules…’ 

    Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier doesn’t appear pleased with one upcoming change to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.

    The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) held its annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky, late last month. During it, a rule vote resulted in the approval of two long-awaited changes.

    In addition to redefining what constitutes a grounded opponent, the ban on fighters throwing “12-6” elbows is set to be lifted later this year. The linear downward elbow was notably the cause of the sole defeat on the record of light heavyweight legend and current UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.

    Many in the community have long argued against claims that the direction of the elbows are more dangerous than a conventional, angled strike. With that, the confirmed rule change was positively received by a large portion of fans, fighters, and pundits.

    One ex-UFC athlete, however, is concerned about the ball of lifting the prohibition on certain moves now rolling…

    Cormier Worried About ‘Street Fight’ Moves Returning To MMA

    During the latest episode of his Funky and the Champ YouTube show alongside Ben Askren, Cormier gave his take on the long debate surrounding “12-6” elbows and the recent ABC ruling regarding the move.

    “DC” voiced his opposition to allowing the banned strike, insisting that the decision to reverse long-standing prohibitions will only pave the way for further “street fight” moves finding their way back into the sport and affecting its legitimacy.

    “I don’t like that. I don’t like 12-6 elbows and I don’t like soccer kicks,” Cormier said. “I don’t want — here’s my thought…I just do’t want everything that makes fighting look like a street fight. That’s it. … John McCain, before he passed, was against fighting because he said, ‘It’s human cockfighting.’ They would show these videos of gang fights and people on the ground and they would just kick them in the face. If we get to soccer kicks, it starts to look like that again, and that’s not good.

    “I don’t like the 12-6 elbows. The 12-6 elbow I don’t feel as strongly about. I don’t care as much about 12-6 elbows (as soccer kicks),” Cormier continued. “But I think the moment we start opening those rules again, it’s gonna be more, and more, and more, and eventually we’ll get back to soccer kicks.”

    Cormier’s view would appear to be in the minority, with many praising both the removal of that ban and the new definition of a grounded opponent following the ABC conference in July.

    Both adjustments will officially come into place on November 1, 2024.

  • Jon Jones Reacts After ABC Officially Approves Removal Of Ban On 12-6 Elbows

    Jon Jones Reacts After ABC Officially Approves Removal Of Ban On 12-6 Elbows

    Some big changes are coming to the Unified Rules of MMA later this year.

    The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) is holding its annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky, this week. The latest rule vote took place on Tuesday, and it saw a couple of long-awaited changes approved.

    The first surrounds the ban on fighters throwing “12-6” elbows. The linear downward elbow is notably responsible for the sole defeat on the record of light heavyweight legend and reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.

    Debate has long raged on over the prohibition on the move, with the direction of the elbows perceived to be more dangerous than a conventional, angled strike by some. But after many in the community argued against that claim, committee members unanimously voted on the ban’s removal this week.

    Jones, who was handed a disqualification defeated against Matt Hamill back in 2009, reacted to the news on Instagram. Alongside an image of his bout with Hamill, “Bones” tagged Dana White and reiterated his desire to get the blemish scrubbed from his record.

    “Undefeated then, undefeated now,” Jones wrote. “@danawhite we gotta get that loss out of the history books.”

    While Ariel Helwani has reported that Jones will be able to retroactively appeal the defeat, it would appear unlikely for the result to be overturned given that the ban was in place at the time.

    Changes To Definition Of A Grounded Fighter Also Approved By ABC

    Removing the ban on “12-6” elbows wasn’t the only successful rule change at this year’s ABC conference. The committee also looked to rectify the confusion and disagreement regarding what constitutes a grounded fighter.

    The topic notable reared its head this year when Arnold Allen fired off knees to the head of Movsar Evloev at UFC 297 this past January. The blows were deemed illegal owing to the Russian placing one hand on the ground.

    Many suggested that the Englishman was unfairly robbed of a potential finish, and from November 1 onwards, he’ll now be able to utilize that offense.

    Previously, the language in the rulebook stated that any part of the body other than the sole of the feet touching the floor would make a fighter grounded. The new language approved this week is as follows:

    “A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground).”

    Both the new definition for a grounded fighter and the removal of the ban on “12’6” elbows officially come into place on November 1, 2024.