They actually listened and are changing the fence rules and the guard scoring criteria which feels completely surreal right now. I honestly did not think this would happen when I started typing those complaints out on my phone in the middle of a fight card. Stay sharp though because we …
With the continued opportunity for exposure of the UFC\'s brand of MMA to mainstream audiences, particularly in the United States, changes need to be made to ensure that these opportunities are not lost. Currently, the UFC employs a few rules that encourage slow, uneventful matches and allow unfair tactics during these matches. The most egregious are:
1. Fighters are allowed to push their opponents against the fence of the Octagon.
2. Judges are encouraged to consider the top position of the Guard to be a Dominant position
and
3. Fighters are allowed to \"lay and pray\" in the top position, with very little real activity, for extended periods of time (sometimes more than 2 minutes).
4. Round by Round scoring of fights.
For the continued good of the sport these rules must be modified or gotten rid of. We encourage the UFC to adopt these recommendations:
1. Unless during the course of action a fighter is driven up against the fence & there is a REAL flurry of activity, fighters should be moved to the middle of the ring to allow the martial arts that they train to be used. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the foundation of the UFC and it is nearly impossible to employ it while pressed against a fence.
2. If MMA has taught us anything it is that while a fighter is in another\'s guard they are in a NEUTRAL position unless there is a stunning amount of \"Ground and Pound\" being delivered by the top fighter. Judges should NOT consider the top fighter the dominant one unless they are truly dominating with strikes.
3.Stand ups should be quicker. If neither fighter can achieve anything (submissions, strikes, etc.) on the ground for 1 minute there should be a stand up. Currently, whole rounds go by with no activity on the ground, particularly up against the fence.
4. Round by Round 10/9 scoring encourages bad decisions. Not each winning round is equal & trying to force such a complex sport (unlike boxing) into some kind of mathematical equation (in so few rounds) just causes chaos. There should be \"Whole Fight\" decisions. If a judge is trusted enough to judge a round, then they should be trusted enough to judge the whole fight.
None of these recommendations should cause any difficulties with any athletic commission because they do not involve the safety of the fighters (such as knees on the ground, soccer kicks and stomps) & we see no reason for them not to be implemented. The need to allow the RIGHT decision to be made during a fight and to not encourage boring, collegiate wrestling-like matches is CRITICAL for the continued success of the sport and we hope that you will consider our petition.
I honestly never thought this would gain so much traction but seeing everyone agreeing about the fence pushing is wild. It makes me realize that so many people are just tired of the stalling because they want to see actual technique happen instead of just waiting around for the round to end.
Reached 100 supporters
February 22, 2005
6 Comments
M
Mike Wade
21 years ago
Featured
cage pressing is killing the fun. honestly i just skip these rounds now because i want to see actual fighting not just hugging against the fence.
K
Kevin Ellis
21 years ago
Featured
been watching since ufc 1 and this fence stalling is the worst thing to ever happen to the sport. move them to the center.
R
Rob Alvarez
21 years ago
Featured
lay and pray needs to go. zero points for just holding someone down. make them work for it or reset.
D
Dave Donnelly
21 years ago
Featured
ABSOLUTELY. if you cant finish the fight on the ground then get stood up. sick of watching guys ride out the clock.
J
Jason Mansour
21 years ago
Featured
the scoring really needs a total overhaul. watching someone lose a decision just cause they were on bottom while the other guy did literally nothing is brutal.
S
Sarah Gray
21 years ago
Featured
bring back the action. ufc is supposed to be a spectacle but half these guys just lay there and stall for points. boring.
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They actually listened and are changing the fence rules and the guard scoring criteria which feels completely surreal right now. I honestly did not think this would happen when I started typing those complaints out on my phone in the middle of a fight card. Stay sharp though because we …
With the continued opportunity for exposure of the UFC\'s brand of MMA to mainstream audiences, particularly in the United States, changes need to be made to ensure that these opportunities are not lost. Currently, the UFC employs a few rules that encourage slow, uneventful matches and allow unfair tactics during these matches. The most egregious are:
1. Fighters are allowed to push their opponents against the fence of the Octagon.
2. Judges are encouraged to consider the top position of the Guard to be a Dominant position
and
3. Fighters are allowed to \"lay and pray\" in the top position, with very little real activity, for extended periods of time (sometimes more than 2 minutes).
4. Round by Round scoring of fights.
For the continued good of the sport these rules must be modified or gotten rid of. We encourage the UFC to adopt these recommendations:
1. Unless during the course of action a fighter is driven up against the fence & there is a REAL flurry of activity, fighters should be moved to the middle of the ring to allow the martial arts that they train to be used. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the foundation of the UFC and it is nearly impossible to employ it while pressed against a fence.
2. If MMA has taught us anything it is that while a fighter is in another\'s guard they are in a NEUTRAL position unless there is a stunning amount of \"Ground and Pound\" being delivered by the top fighter. Judges should NOT consider the top fighter the dominant one unless they are truly dominating with strikes.
3.Stand ups should be quicker. If neither fighter can achieve anything (submissions, strikes, etc.) on the ground for 1 minute there should be a stand up. Currently, whole rounds go by with no activity on the ground, particularly up against the fence.
4. Round by Round 10/9 scoring encourages bad decisions. Not each winning round is equal & trying to force such a complex sport (unlike boxing) into some kind of mathematical equation (in so few rounds) just causes chaos. There should be \"Whole Fight\" decisions. If a judge is trusted enough to judge a round, then they should be trusted enough to judge the whole fight.
None of these recommendations should cause any difficulties with any athletic commission because they do not involve the safety of the fighters (such as knees on the ground, soccer kicks and stomps) & we see no reason for them not to be implemented. The need to allow the RIGHT decision to be made during a fight and to not encourage boring, collegiate wrestling-like matches is CRITICAL for the continued success of the sport and we hope that you will consider our petition.
I honestly never thought this would gain so much traction but seeing everyone agreeing about the fence pushing is wild. It makes me realize that so many people are just tired of the stalling because they want to see actual technique happen instead of just waiting around for the round to end.
Reached 100 supporters
February 22, 2005
6 Comments
M
Mike Wade
21 years ago
Featured
cage pressing is killing the fun. honestly i just skip these rounds now because i want to see actual fighting not just hugging against the fence.
K
Kevin Ellis
21 years ago
Featured
been watching since ufc 1 and this fence stalling is the worst thing to ever happen to the sport. move them to the center.
R
Rob Alvarez
21 years ago
Featured
lay and pray needs to go. zero points for just holding someone down. make them work for it or reset.
D
Dave Donnelly
21 years ago
Featured
ABSOLUTELY. if you cant finish the fight on the ground then get stood up. sick of watching guys ride out the clock.
J
Jason Mansour
21 years ago
Featured
the scoring really needs a total overhaul. watching someone lose a decision just cause they were on bottom while the other guy did literally nothing is brutal.
S
Sarah Gray
21 years ago
Featured
bring back the action. ufc is supposed to be a spectacle but half these guys just lay there and stall for points. boring.
cage pressing is killing the fun. honestly i just skip these rounds now because i want to see actual fighting not just hugging against the fence.