In a recent turn of events, a UFC star, Merab Dvalishvili, weighed in on a prolonged issue dealt with by athletes of the sport. And no, it is not about fighter pay but about UFC gloves. For the last few years, fighters have been complaining about the UFC gloves being designed in such a way that it is prone to injuries and eye pokes.
Dvalishvili, a UFC bantamweight prospect, revealed that many notable fighters of the sport, alongside him and Ilia Topuria, find it uncomfortable to wear the designated UFC gloves. Subsequently, he demanded an instant modification to make the gloves more athlete-friendly. While speaking to Ariel Helwani, Dvalishvili said,
“The UFC gloves have to be changed. Every time I wear gloves I am stressed, my friends, Al Quinta, even Illia says, ‘I let them cut. Everytime you squeeze it hurts. It is tight and it is so hard to bend. We train in normal gloves.”
Well, this is a serious concern brought up by Dvalishvili that needs to be taken into consideration by the UFC. However, while there have been alternatives suggested by many, the UFC has failed to come up with a suitable idea for the same. Reflecting on the burning question, Joe Rogan recently seemed to provide a solution.
Joe Rogan provides a solution
Joe Rogan, the UFC color commentator, has taken cognizance of the fighter’s complaint regarding the gloves. In one of his podcast episodes, Rogan invited Trevor Wittman, a renowned coach, as his guest. During their conversation, Rogan found out that Wittman produces gloves for his fighters, which are a lot more padded, safer, and most importantly, comfortable. Listening to the same, Rogan immediately urged the UFC to take the idea on board, and said,
“Trevor [Wittman] makes the best fuckin’ equipment. His MMA gloves should adopted by all organizations… The fact that the UFC and him haven’t come to some sort of an agreement doesn’t make any sense to me.
Surely, the UFC has an option to take this solution on board. Rogan also went on to state that he was baffled as to why this idea was still not adopted by the UFC. Thus, with the controversies running wild, it is now up to Dana White and his team to make the call.
