California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster recently discussed some potential rule changes in mixed martial arts.
UFC 331 went down at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sept. 19. Foster subsequently discussed some rules at a CSAC debrief, touching on oblique kicks, a polarizing and highly effective tool in MMA, among other subjects.
CSAC’s Andy Foster wants to discuss banning oblique kicks after UFC 331
Edmen Shahbazyan earned a unanimous decision win in a middleweight bout against Brunno Ferreira at UFC 331. Shahbazyan was complaining to the referee about Ferreira throwing side-kicks to the knee, seemingly unaware that they are legal.
While kicks to the knee don’t look like much, they can deal dangerous damage to the knee at certain angles. While it is considered a cheap shot in sparring and banned in most gyms, it is perfectly legal in pro MMA. However, Foster now wants to discuss banning side-kicks to the knee. Foster also wants to discuss legalizing the use of a peptide that heals cuts but is not performance-enhancing.
“Foster also wants to discuss making lateral knee kicks a foul and also wants to hold discussions with medical professionals and determine whether a specific peptide that heals cuts and are not performance-enhancing be made legal,” MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter, who attended the debrief, posted on X.
Foster also discussed potentially categorizing fouls. While fouls are now judged on whether they are intentional or unintentional, Foster is considering classifying them as incidental, reckless or malicious.
“Foster also discussed a potential rule change in the unified rules that would classify fouls as being incidental, reckless or malicious rather than unintentional and intentional,” Bronsteter wrote in a follow-up post. “He believes that will make fighters keep their hands closed and reduce eye pokes.”
“Foster also discussed a potential rule change in the unified rules that would classify fouls as being incidental, reckless or malicious rather than unintentional and intentional,” Bronsteter wrote in a follow-up post. “He believes that will make fighters keep their hands closed and reduce eye pokes.”
I wouldnt be against it.
So you can grab someone’s leg with the express intent of tearing their ACL, but you can’t kick their leg because a torn ACL might happen?
Brilliant…
This would be OK.
If we’re talking fighter safety, may as well ban punches to the head which causes far more concussions than oblique kicks cause ACL tears.
Andy Foster is a pussy. Get on the mat, you bitch!
Didn’t they let the downward elbow strikes back?
We definitely need more banned moves that are up to ref interpretation
Yes.
12-6 elbows were allowed again back in 2024.
Most refs don’t even deduct points for fouls anyway, so it’s a moot point imo
One more thing for our refs to misinterpret.
Didn’t Herb call the headbutt a foul even though it was deemed incidental and say he should let the cutman work it in the Pantoja fight? This sounds like more opportunities for error by refs who already struggle to handle the work. We need more refs supporting the main ref for these moments so the ref in the ring focuses on fighter safety in the moment instead of all the rules they now have to deal with.
What about strikes to the solar plexus? They taught me those can be deadly in my 80s TKD class.
ZooTopia Dean in da house
"California has also proposed banning punches or kicks to the head or abdomen.
“Also top position will be banned. Grappling will only be permitted from a spooning position.”
We would gladly trade you the oblique kick for soccer kicks.
I’d be ok banning this but let’s bring back knees to a grounded opponent. That would be a complete game changer.