Rampage: Jon Jones' oblique kick should be banned

I'm not saying they should be banned and I'm not agreeing with Rampage. All I'm saying is I've seen Jon Jones, along with other fighters throw spinning back elbows which connect with the back of the head. Would like to see referees more stringent with this rule. Just because it was a flashy exciting move doesn't mean it's not connecting with the back of the head in an illegal manor.

Mellor wrote: »

It's called MMA not UFC.
That line stood out for me too. Got any links to gifs or videos. I've heard that criticism before, but the videos I seen were to the side of the head.

I seem to remember Jones vs Bonner at UFC 94 landing pretty far back.

Mellor wrote: »

That line stood out for me too. Got any links to gifs or videos. I've heard that criticism before, but the videos I seen were to the side of the head.

Here's the gif of Bones vs Bonnar


I've always thought it was to the back of the head.

I always cringe when I see the oblique kicks land flush on the knee and I was skeptical about them when Silva was doing it to Leites.
Here's the worst one I've seen. It's easy to see how it could cause an injury.



They seem to be more utilized now but I don't think they should be banned any more than a punch to the face should.

That oblique kick reminds of Royce's iconic big step forward knee stamp thing he did from the first UFC which worked really well to close distance. Jones throws his one to hurt the guy and own the bubble... make them pay an entrance fee kinda thing.

You both agree to get in there and abide by the rules.... winning by clean tapped out RNC in the first 30 seconds or tearing somebodies knee completely asunder while alligator rolling for knee bar attempt or heel hook or toe hold is just as valid and acceptable a win and there is no dishonor in it although of course it is sad to see a fighter sidelined for a year from the injury (after the fact) but that is merely part of fighting. I hate the way people apply the same thinking from watching other sports to MMA - which IMO is absolutely different. Jones never truly knows where that spinning elbow is going to land - but it's a great technique and he throws it better than anyone. You can't rule change for that. MMA is just fighting - with enough rules (primarily and originally for marketing purposes and business reasons first... and as a result safety) to make us have to apply the term 'sport' to it for want of a better term.... but it really has nothing whatever to do with any other sport or even other combat sports and it'll never be truly clean nor safe, ever. Repeated knockouts will cause brain damage, knees will get destroyed and retinas detached but in such a tiny number compared to the total number of fights each year that we accept it and fighters accept it. I don't feel bad for them because it is their decision to fight pro rules MMA and the risks are blatant. That Jones can execute techniques with so much torque and power that he can and does really hurt people a lot when he fights them just shows the evolution of fighting - to use what works and drop what doesn't. The rules are fine as they are. It is amazing in a way that somebody hasn't died in the UFC looking from the outside in from an ignorant perspective - people get picked up and supplexed on to their heads and it's only luck that in the heat of a fight that they don't do it slightly illegally and break the guys neck (it would seem) and the sport comes to a very abrupt and immediate stop and so forth.... given the thousands of fights which have happened in the UFC, Pride etc we haven't had what is theoretically a likely occurrence given the nature of the sport at some point or so somebody would think watching their first UFC. Truth is, I think it's the 'level' of fighters themselves which the UFC 'allows' to compete, which makes it inherently non-life threatening - in that all these guys, every one of them goes in 100% and with incredible physical strength and so the slams or the kick or an armbar or kimura even when applied with vicious power doesn't often cause serious injury because these guys can take massive punishment! It's self regulating because everybody has gotten so much better than they were 15 years ago. And still Silva and Jones and GSP have daylight between them and their challengers... that's what's amazing.

As someone who has done both his cruciates in, I hate that kick but there is no need to ban it. MMA is a contact sport and you expect to get injured, if you don't want to get injured take up something else like tiddlywinks.

Just watching the Fight Club Q&A with Jones, recorded prior to the weigh ins for this weekend's Fox event.

Someone asked him about the push kicks to the knee. Jones said "If someone is trying to give me brain damage, I think me trying to make them limp for the rest of their life is a fair trade"!

I can never understand why opponents don't go after his legs... they are like flippin toothpicks... give them a couple of good chops and you would do significant damage. I understand that its hard to get in his range but surely somebody has to test them.

RoboRat wrote: »

I can never understand why opponents don't go after his legs... they are like flippin toothpicks... give them a couple of good chops and you would do significant damage. I understand that its hard to get in his range but surely somebody has to test them.

He has long leg's but they're not that thin-more give off the appearance of been thin due to him been lanky

I think he needs to be ko'd cleanly or if someone can get him down and keep him down, And Belfort nearly arm barred him from his back so a good BJJ lad can certainly be a risk

But like all the best-its easier said than done

El Guapo! wrote: »

I'd actually love to see someone just dive on a leg, Palhares style, and see how he copes with that.

Same here.

I think standing with him is very tricky and while his ground and pound is dangerous he does give a lot of opportunites to get submissions. He leaves himself extended a lot and long limbs are easier to submit.

Flying scissor heel hook like Joe Lauzon attempted on Miller, it worked against Anderson Silva anyway!

Not many LHWs that are very submission oriented though. Vinny Magalhaes if he keeps winning?