Notable adjustments could possibly be coming to the Unified Guidelines of MMA early subsequent week.
The Affiliation of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports activities (ABC) holds its yearly convention in Louisville, Ky., starting Monday, with its annual rule vote scheduled for Wednesday.
Two proposed rule adjustments are on the agenda. MMA Junkie acquired a replica of the proposal Friday from ABC committee members Andy Foster and Mike Mazzulli.
The primary proposed change, is the potential removing of the rule prohibiting the linear downward “12-6 elbow.” The second proposal is a change within the language concerning what qualifies as a grounded fighter.
Prohibition of 12-6 elbows has been debated for effectively over a decade. Initially, the route of the elbows was thought by some to be extra harmful than an angled elbow. Nevertheless, that declare has since been broadly disputed by many within the MMA neighborhood.
The 12-6 elbow rule infamously led to what stays the one lack of UFC nice Jon Jones’ profession, as he was disqualified from a bout he was profitable lopsidedly vs. Matt Hamill.
As for the grounded fighter rule, the ABC has labored to discover a stability between readability and security pertaining to sequences the place a fighter is rising up off the bottom, or going to the bottom – and when his or her opponent can or can not kick or knee them throughout that course of.
At present, the rule deems a fighter “grounded” when one hand and/or another physique half are on the bottom. Nevertheless, a hand down qualifying a fighter as grounded has brought on confusion and at occasions a “sport” of hand placement.
The present language is as follows:
“Any a part of the physique, different sole of the ft touching the preventing space flooring. To be grounded, the palm of 1 hand (a flat palm) should be down, and/or another physique half should be touching the preventing space flooring. A single knee, arm, (not fingers) makes the fighter grounded with out having to have another physique half in contact with the preventing space flooring. At the moment, kicks or knees to the top won’t be allowed.”
The brand new language could be as follows:
“A fighter shall be thought of grounded and might not be legally kneed or kicked to the top when any a part of their physique apart from their palms or ft is in touch with the canvas (floor).”
If these guidelines are voted in, commissions will have the ability to implement them instantly, although the implementation course of can generally be delayed, relying on state laws processes.
A dialogue session is scheduled for Monday earlier than Wednesday’s vote.
Take a look at a full copy of the 2024 ABC Annual Convention agenda right here.
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