Former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones was known for his creativity inside the Octagon. But over a year since his retirement, one of Jones’ patented techniques could be on its way out of Mixed Martial Arts.
Jones retired following a successful UFC heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. He was in talks to fight Tom Aspinall before a lengthy contract dispute with the promotion led to his decision to hang up the gloves.
Jones was one of several UFC legends to utilize low kicks to earn victories inside the Octagon. But Jones took things to a new level when he utilized oblique kicks, a brutal technique, to finish several of his rivals.
After several current UFC fighters suffered injuries from oblique kicks in 2026, Jones’ famous technique could be banned in the coming months.
CSAC: ‘It’s time’ to ban Jon Jones’ famous oblique kicks from MMA
In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, California State Athletic Commission executive Andy Foster was asked about the future of oblique kicks following Jones’ retirement.
“I think it’s time. I think that there are more risks than we should require our fighters to have to deal with to participate in mixed martial arts,” Foster said of potentially banning Jones’ famous oblique kicks.
“This is a kick that has a long healing time. It can really have a lifelong effect. Fighters have a short window, and at some point, they’re gonna be done with this. This kick, it got its name for that oblique ligament in the back of the knee. You essentially get the unhappy triad or whatever, as the doctors call it. You bust all of those ligaments at once if this thing lands right. Somebody could have a lifelong injury from this, that they’re gonna deal with way after this is over.
“It’s not worth it,” Foster continued on the popular Jones technique. “I don’t think the public loses anything if this kick is banned. There’s plenty of other techniques if you’re using it for distance. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the fighters, at least the ones that use it, think the idea is to basically hyperextend the knee and bust these ligaments to win that way. I think that’s what it’s for.”
Funny they wait until Jones retires to ban it.
I I wouldn’t be surprised if they limited leg kicks to above to knee at some point too.
I know there’s a lot of strong opinions against the kick but has anyone actually been injured by it? Either in a fight or in sparring?
Yeah, it’s ended fights.
Any examples?
Good.
Now enforce the eyepoke rules
Rountree blew out someone’s knee with an oblique kick a couple years ago.
Rampage has said that his knee was never the same after the Jones fight.
i was tauhht this kick doing karate at school. the sensei warned us only to use it in real fight situations where you are in real trouble.
naturally one of our asshole mates started spamming it in play scuffles. fucking cunt guy.
i think the same when i see it in competition.
Brought back the 12-6 and now banning the kick.
Fair trade imo.
Jon Jones GOAT
As much as I hate the idea of taking away weapons from fighters, no other sport would tolerate directly (intentionally) destroying their athlete’s knees. It’s just not good for longevity of the athletes. If you cut your star’s careers short, it makes it much tougher to sell your product.
I have conflicting opinions on it
On the combat side like buddie said, I don’t like removing weapons. And also it’s a fight where the goal is to hurt somebody.
At the same time the martial artist side of me says that kick cuts your career short and your body should be protected in order to train martial arts your entire life.
Modestas Bukauskas
Suffered a devastating rupture of his knee ligaments in 2021 after absorbing a heavy oblique kick from Khalil Rountree Jr. The injury resulted in immediate stoppage, required extensive corrective surgery, and sidelined him for a lengthy recovery period.
Thiago Santos
Sustained severe damage to his left knee due to lateral and oblique kicks during his 2019 title bout against Jon Jones. Compounding a pre-existing injury in his right knee, Santos had to undergo double knee surgery and faced a long recovery before returning to action over a year later.
Shavkat Rakhmonov
Absorbed relentless oblique kicks from Ian Machado Garry. The strikes severely aggravated a torn MCL, causing recurring knee issues that sidelined him for nearly two years while undergoing intensive physical rehab.
Darren Till
Suffered a brutal knee hyperextension in the second round of his fight against Robert Whittaker. Till later noted that his knee was never structurally the same, which heavily compromised his grappling and takedown defense and ultimately contributed to his departure from the UFC to pursue boxing.
Edmen Shahbazyan
Complained mid-fight of severe knee discomfort and compromised stability after absorbing continuous oblique kicks from Brunno Ferreira at UFC 331 in September 2026.
Nursulton Ruziboev
Suffered structural knee damage during a bout against Michael “Venom” Page". The precise, stabbing linear knee strikes landed by Page severely compromised Ruziboev’s joint integrity, ultimately requiring corrective surgery to repair the damage.
Patrick Côté
Endured one of the earliest high-profile knee failures linked to linear leg strikes at UFC 90 during his title fight against Anderson Silva. After absorbing repeated low, linear stomping kicks to his lead leg throughout the first two rounds, Côté’s knee completely gave out early in the third round, resulting in a TKO victory for Silva due to injury.
Quinton Jackson
Absorbed severe oblique kicks from Jon Jones at UFC 135. “Rampage” vocally criticized the technique heavily after the bout, stating that the hyperextension strikes permanently altered the stability of his left knee and left him with lingering joint pain that plagued the remainder of his career.
I wonder if Aromas brain is the same after that powerbomb
If you look at football, specifically the NFL, it’s the most popular sport in the United States, and the restrictions on defensive and special teams players are so much broader than they were in the 70s and 80s to prevent injuries. It hasn’t ruined the game. At the end of the day, it’s a sport and someone has to protect the athletes because fighters will literally fight to the death if you let them. Boxing used to be 15 rounds in championship fights but after Duk Koo Kim died fighting Mancini, a change had to be made. I think it makes sense. It’s a great weapon but no one really wants to see a guy lose his livelihood and have lifelong impact that way.