Do Rule Changes Take Away From MMA??

[anabolicfreak]

What do you think of all the rules in MMA? I think they are necessary for it to become accepted as a legit sport, but I also it takes away from the combative, martial art aspect as well. I'm glad to see in TUF 3 they are paying an extra $5k for a KO or submission because on the first two seasons, guys were just hanging on for a decision, trying "not to lose" rather than going out there and fighting to win.

Time limits just offer fighters an easy way out. I like the analogy of being dropped off in the middle of the ocean and being told that someone will be back for you in a day as opposed to being dropped off and being told you are on your own. If you are on your own, you are either going to sink or swim, you wont just tread water until someone comes to save you.

Another rule that has really changed fighters strategies is the no striking the back of the neck/head. Now you see guys giving up their backs and just defending the the RNC whereas without if you try that you get vicious elbows to the back of the head and neck. You see that in Brazil all the time.

While I know it is for the safety of the fighters, I think it really takes away from the effectiveness of BJJ.

Headbutts and soccer kicks are other examples of really effective techniques that fighters cant use, but also dont have to defend against.

 

[Djimbe]

*I think there were bonuses last season as well , but think about it 5k now for a Pop win is risky against hanging on for a chance at 100K , you know ?

No Neck Cranks make things harder too . Bulldogging (the cowboy Event , not the Kayfabe move) stops a LOT of Shooting in real fights .

 

[anabolicfreak]

I think events would be alot better without all the rules.

I dont think you would see guys getting injured like people speculate they would either as long as there are weight classes.

I think the UFC is lucky that nobody got seriously hurt before them implemented weight classes. Like when Severn suplexed Macias on his neck, twice! That was some potentially tragic shit!

 

[Tshark]

The rules have watered down mma so much it's crazy. The only good thing is the purse going up.

 

[megamania500]

I agree that its watered down to what it used to be. I suppose alot of people would prefer it that way, which would make it less "barbaric" in many peoples eyes. I remember the UFC getting alot of flak from people like that politician John McCain (is that his name?), an avid supporter of boxing.
But now, there seems to be a new type of fighting which is a hybrid of stuff like BJJ and muay thai, which MMA fighters practice. Fighters now practice stand up, guard, takedown defenses, etc. But they don't have to deal w/ groin strikes, headbutts, etc. So it has taken on a sport type of strategy of its own, not exactly the way you would train for street defense in some ways. Put someone in a triangle choke on the street and the guy just may bite your nuts off.
I know of an incident at a local bar where a belligerent drunk was asking for it, and someone who maybe watched too many UFCs ended up outside with the rowdy drunk. Within a few seconds the drunk was begging for mercy because the other dude put the drunk into a guillotine choke.
The drunk gave trying to put up a fight, the other guy let him go and he must've thought that it was over because after he let him loose, he stepped back with his hands down. I don't know what the guy was thinking, maybe he was waiting for someone to come raise his arm in victory or something. But he obviously thought the fight was done because the drunk gave up struggling while being choked. But as soon as the drunk guy was let loose (on purpose), he punched the guy and proceeded to pummel the other guy.
So, in case you submit a guy on the street, don't assume he won't come back after you after you let him go. Big John McCarthy won't be there to stop the fight.

 

[anabolicfreak]

Yeah I cant imagine letting someone go except in a competition. I choked a guy out back in college and when he went limp everyone was like "holy shit, you killed him!!"

The Gracie in Action videos had some great fights in it with absolutely no rules. Another "no rules" fight was in Superbrawl when Vitor Belfort fought Jon Hess and Hess said the only way he would fight was if there were no rules at all so he could really fuck up Belfort. Thats why the ref waited so long sitting there watching Vitor bounce Hess's head off the canvas like a basketball before finally stopping him.

 

[KD1]

I think the rules are fine, they dont change the outcome of the fight, all they are doing is saving the fighters so they can fight longer careers and more frequently.

 

[mr.october]

i don't like all the restarts by the refs. i thought they made 5 min rounds to avoid this. just let the guys fight.

i would like too see them bring back some of the older rules(ex. headbutts, knees to the head of a downed opponent). I know it may seem vicious to some, but thats what fighting is. alot of these present fighters/posers just don't belong

 

[MikeMartial]

i don't like all the restarts by the refs. i thought they made 5 min rounds to avoid this. just let the guys fight.

Initially, I was against the restarts by the ref; It's still a bit of a gray area, IMO. Purely as a spectator, it's a good thing. I imagine the actual fighters may have differing opinions.

i would like too see them bring back some of the older rules(ex. headbutts, knees to the head of a downed opponent). I know it may seem vicious to some, but thats what fighting is. alot of these present fighters/posers just don't belong

This I highly disagree with. Regardless if you like it or not, MMA has evolved to a professional sport, and the rule changes for the most part reflect this. I would rather see a technical fight between two skilled athletes, than a street brawl in a ring; as the fans become more educated, the "bloodlust" will fade. MMA competitions have come a long way, but still have a ways to go. As mentioned before, there's also a safety factor that goes along with these rules.

Speaking of kicking a guy while he's down, I'm totally blown away at the allowance of the "soccer-ball kick" in Pride. You have a guy who is obviously well enough to stand, and an opponent who is NOT well enough to stand. Where the FUCK did they ever get the idea that launching a guy's head through the goalposts like a NFL punter was a good idea? Blows me away. Totally barbaric.

Ok I'm done

 

[megamania500]

i don't like all the restarts by the refs. i thought they made 5 min rounds to avoid this. just let the guys fight.

i would like too see them bring back some of the older rules(ex. headbutts, knees to the head of a downed opponent). I know it may seem vicious to some, but thats what fighting is. alot of these present fighters/posers just don't belong

I can see your point. When UFC began, it was just basically a fight between two people who had trained in some type of fighting/self defense discipline. Making more and more rules for them to follow takes away the reality of how the fight might take place if it were to occur out in the street. Yeah, someone will bring up the fact that in the street they may be fighting on gravel, on ice, with friends as backup, between cars, and on and on and on. But the UFC gave both fighters equal ground without anything else but their own skills to determine the outcome of the fight.
Watching two drunks duke it out in back of the bar is one thing, big deal. But seeing a 5th degree black belt in kempo fight a black belt in judo takes it to a whole another level. And that, to me, is what made the early UFCs so interesting to watch.
But it now has transgressed into a sport. And since I stood behind the UFC in the beginning, I still support it now. With more rules in place, it may not have the 'realism' it once did. But I do believe despite this, that the fighters and the fighting style used by them in general has evolved quite a bit.

 

[MikeMartial]

But seeing a 5th degree black belt in kempo fight a black belt in judo takes it to a whole another level. And that, to me, is what made the early UFCs so interesting to watch.
But it now has transgressed into a sport. And since I stood behind the UFC in the beginning, I still support it now. With more rules in place, it may not have the 'realism' it once did. But I do believe despite this, that the fighters and the fighting style used by them in general has evolved quite a bit.

Well said.

 

[1392477]

I am actually a supporter of a Super Heavyweight class in the UFC for fighters over 250. I think a heavyweight class of anything over 205 is too broad. Why have increments of 155, 170, 185, 205 and then anyone over 205 has to fight in a wide open weight class.

There are some great heavyweights in the 220 - 240 weight class, myself included. It's a different ballgame pitting them against Bob Sapp at 350# or other massive guys that can mount you and crush you without any skill at all.

 

[mr.october]

if you don't want to get get soccer/futball kicked in the head, then learn to get off your back and to your feet. the refs have to do their job and stop the fight when an opponent is not defending

i agree for a super heavyweight division. 20-30 pounds difference is too much weight to handle