UFC Rule Change: Two Major Regulations Updates From This Weekend That Could Make Fights More Brutal

UFC’s fight card in Edmonton is bringing some big rule changes that could change the game for good, once and for all. The 12-6 elbow is being considered legal and there’s a new definition of what a grounded opponent means, which is going to stop fighters from stalling, with considerably larger implications on the horizon. 

Firstly, the once-banned 12-6 elbow is back, which will allow fighters to throw powerful, downward shots that will make ground combat even nastier. 

The old regulation, often criticized as overly specific, was based on how “perfectly perpendicular” an elbow strike was to the floor, leaving it open to referee interpretation.

UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones was famously disqualified for the same against Matt Hamil, a loss both Dana White and he contest to this very day. 

As Referee John McCarthy once told MMA Junkie, the 12-6 rule just always felt odd.

“If it only applies to an exact line, most situations make it either illegal or ineffective anyway.”

So grapplers will have no excuse to just stall the fight. And there’s a good chance, the canvas will be painted red more often. With grapplers holding most titles in the division, the UFC was always going to need to find a way for the civilians to enjoy the fights.

Like, Grachhus said of the emperor in Gladiator, “He’ll bring them death, and they will love him for it“.

Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked

To understand this, one must remember that when a fighter is considered grounded, knees or kicks to their heads have been considered illegal. The grounded rule has changed over the years of course. It’s gone from being just one palm down on the ground to knees touching the floor and so on and so forth.

But that’s going to change.

The UFC’s new “grounded fighter” rule means fighters can no longer get away with stalling by putting just one hand on the mat to avoid taking hits to the head. Grounded will truly mean grounded now. 

Now, a fighter will only considered grounded if any part of their body other than hands or feet touches the canvas. To put it simply, you really have to be down to be considered down. 

This rule update would have had a major impact in past fights, like the infamous Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan title bout, where Yan lost his belt due to an illegal knee strike on a “grounded” Sterling, who had only a single hand down.

It was a controversial moment that left fans divided, with many arguing Sterling took advantage of the rule to get a DQ win. With this new definition, fighters will have fewer loopholes to lean on, promising even more intense battles ahead.