Vaseline use is used by several MMA fighters such as Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. But what does it do for them?
MMA is a brutal sport with cuts, bruises and even life-changing injuries being fairly common among athletes. While all combat sports involve some degree of physical injury risk, the sheer range of ways to hurt your opponent makes MMA particularly brutal and dangerous.
When it comes to pro-MMA bouts, the brutality is dialed to 11 and fighters must take every precaution to avoid getting badly hurt. This is where Vaseline is a go-to for corner cutmen. The petroleum jelly helps in two ways – it makes getting nasty cuts harder by making the skin slippery and moisturizes the skin to reduce sweating.
What Does Vaseline Contain?
Like most other topical jelly products made from petroleum, Vaseline sticks to the skin and coats it. So, when a strike lands on the fighter’s face and body it causes lesser lacerations or tears. The jelly also reduces sweating which makes fighting easier since the fighter’s vision is not blocked.
How Much Vaseline are Fighters Allowed to Put on Their Faces?
As such there are no rules set for how much Vaseline fighters can use. However, the referee can determine that a fighter is using too much at their discretion. Further, Vaseline burns in the eyes very aggressively so cutmen make it a point to not apply too much anyway.
The George St Pierre Greasegate Controversy
UFC GOAT George St. Pierre was accused of cheating by applying too much Vaseline at UFC 94 against BJ Penn in early 2009. According to the letter filed by Penn and his camp, GSP and his team applied too much Vaseline on the fighter’s chest and back.
This gave GSP an advantage over the famed grappler and BJJ expert on the ground. Penn argued that this was a significant advantage and helped GSP secure the win.
To this day, the controversy divides UFC fans through the middle. Some say Penn’s ground game was levels above GSP’s and without the Vaseline, he would not have won.
But GSP’s supporters firmly believe that this is not the case and the French-Canadian beat him fair and square. No matter what side anyone lands on, it is fair to say the use of Vaseline was highlighted in MMA through this controversy. Further, it made the rules around using Vaseline stricter and now they can only have it on their faces.
What Does a Cutman Do in an MMA/Boxing Fight?
During a boxing or MMA bout, fighters have their hands gloved up. So, they cannot apply the Vaseline or address their cuts by themselves. This is the job of the Cutman and he addresses things like cuts, lacerations, bleeds, swellings and other wounds.
They do all of this during the one-minute break between each round so they really have to be good at their job. The difference in the Cutman’s talent can make a huge difference to a fighter’s overall performance. The Cutman also makes sure that the Vaseline is only applied to the fighter’s faces.
What Medication Can you put any Medication on Fighter’s Face During a Fight?
Cutmen are allowed to use a number of products to make sure fighters are in the best condition during their bouts. Here are some of the most commonly used on:
Water
Water is life and when you are gasping for a breath, water is the sweetest of all things in existence. Also, Cutman can use water to also clean off parts of the fighter’s body through a damp towel.
Ice
In case a fighter gets a swelling, the Cutman uses a bag filled with ice to numb that part. If you’ve ever eaten a leg kick or a few, you know why this is a lifesaver.
A metal plate or Enswell
Enswell is the name for a small metal plate. It helps reduce swelling and aches coming from the wound.
Adrenaline Chloride
Adrenaline Chloride is a fast-acting chemical that is used to close up wounds. You may have seen Cutmen using it to dry up a fighter’s cuts, many times on their faces.
Coagulant and Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs dipped in water or Adrenaline Chloride and Coagulants for closing up wounds fast and minimizing bleeding.
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