Is this allowed in MMA?

[Hong Kong Pooey]

The elbow strike around 35:30

I must confess to a large degree of ignorance when it comes to MMA, hence the question.

I watched the first couple of UFCs then got bored when it became all about 'the ground game', but earlier this year caught a few episodes of Bellator and rather enjoyed it. Anyway I definitely saw shoots & sprawls but don't think I saw the elbow strike to the spine, and if I did then definitely not with the same results.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

It used to be legal, but then they added rules against it. (even though I'm not aware of any instances where someone got hurt by the technique in MMA competition.)

The reason you didn't see it used effectively back when it was legal is that it's really difficult to land it just right against a skilled opponent. Usually the guys who tried it were being taken down as they threw the elbow, which robbed the strike of its power. In this case, the big guy's size advantage allowed him to stuff Jimmy's takedown attempt and hold him in place for the nasty elbow spike. (The big guy's weight really added a lot to the impact of the downwards elbow also.)

 

[Hong Kong Pooey]

It used to be legal, but then they added rules against it. (even though I'm not aware of any instances where someone got hurt by the technique in MMA competition.)

The reason you didn't see it used effectively back when it was legal is that it's really difficult to land it just right against a skilled opponent. Usually the guys who tried it were being taken down as they threw the elbow, which robbed the strike of its power. In this case, the big guy's size advantage allowed him to stuff Jimmy's takedown attempt and hold him in place for the nasty elbow spike. (The big guy's weight really added a lot to the impact of the downwards elbow also.)

Thanks Tony. When I saw it it got me thinking about the interminable cage vs street debate.

I did think that it looks like the big guy's size makes it a lot easier to deliver it, and also the fact that he deals with the takedown attempt first, good to have it confirmed by someone such as yourself.

Nevertheless it does validate it as a potentially devastating blow, and for me at least, lends weight to the argument that MMA is not necessarily the standard by which all things must be judged.

 

[Buka]

I'm not sure if you mean all MMA or UFC. In UFC you can't strike straight downward with the point of the elbow or strike the back of the head, or the spine.

 

[K-man]

Thanks Tony. When I saw it it got me thinking about the interminable cage vs street debate.

I did think that it looks like the big guy's size makes it a lot easier to deliver it, and also the fact that he deals with the takedown attempt first, good to have it confirmed by someone such as yourself.

Nevertheless it does validate it as a potentially devastating blow, and for me at least, lends weight to the argument that MMA is not necessarily the standard by which all things must be judged.

This has been my point all along. This is a standard finishing technique for us. Not necessarily against a shoot where there are many variables but at other times where the spine is exposed. It is standard fair in Karate and Krav and even in Aikido there are many opportunities to use it if required. Do we train it full force? Obviously not but we do train it.
:asian:

 

[drop bear]

The downward elbow works with the throw so you help them take you down. If you are going to strike it needs to be in line with sprawl mechanics like say an upwards forearm or something.


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JtxTBZWJkDk

 

[hoshin1600]

I'm sorry Tony but Joe Rogan has talked about this rule many times. When the ufc was sanctioned by the boxing commission people on the licence board who had no knowledge of ma had seen people breaking large blocks of ice and other things and felt that the 12 to 6 elbow was too dangerous. Joe r has said over and over how stupid the rule is but the licence commission will not change it.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Another is it allowed question;

Are you allowed to ram your opponents head into the cage in an MMA fight?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Another is it allowed question;

Are you allowed to ram your opponents head into the cage in an MMA fight?

Yep.

 

[Tez3]

In the UK we have no licensing or any other type of authority overlooking MMA competitions so technically anyone can use any rules they like. In practice most promoters use rules similar if not the same as the UFC now. There's some techniques that are allowed and some that aren't depending sometimes on what rules the fighter wants. As far as I've seen they all keep the downward elbow rule. However we have nothing to say what rules there are so fighters here rely on promoters being fair.
People who say MMA is the standard by others should be judged are usually the fanboys or those who are up their own backsides, people with a true interest and knowledge of MMA are usually too busy minding what they are doing to worry about comparing themselves to others.

 

[Hanzou]

Thanks Tony. When I saw it it got me thinking about the interminable cage vs street debate.

I did think that it looks like the big guy's size makes it a lot easier to deliver it, and also the fact that he deals with the takedown attempt first, good to have it confirmed by someone such as yourself.

Nevertheless it does validate it as a potentially devastating blow, and for me at least, lends weight to the argument that MMA is not necessarily the standard by which all things must be judged.

If you're significantly bigger than your opponent, your opponent is tired as hell, and you've been watching him fight all day, then yeah the elbow to the spine is a great Double Leg takedown defense.

Fortunately, the DLT isn't the only TD out there. :supcool:

 

[Tez3]

If you're significantly bigger than your opponent, your opponent is tired as hell, and you've been watching him fight all day, then yeah the elbow to the spine is a great Double Leg takedown defense.

Fortunately, the DLT isn't the only TD out there. :supcool:

Too many people don't do leg takedowns properly though making it far too easy to defend. The simplest thing they need to learn is not to do a leg takedown when your opponent is moving away from you, I get frustrated so many times at watching this. If you are going to do a technique, learn to do it properly and at the right time.

 

[Hanzou]

I think its more important to understand why Jimmy attempted to do the DLT in the first place; The guy he was trading blows with was larger than he was, and was messing him up pretty badly. Its a sound strategy in that situation, because the alternative is getting knocked out.

 

[Buka]

Another is it allowed question;

Are you allowed to ram your opponents head into the cage in an MMA fight?

There's a rule in place that disallows purposely "spiking" your opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. But I've never seen it enforced. And I'm not sure what the details of "spiking" would be.

 

[Tez3]

There's a rule in place that disallows purposely "spiking" your opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. But I've never seen it enforced. And I'm not sure what the details of "spiking" would be.

Basically picking them up and dropping them on the top of their head or anything that can lead to a broken neck ( like the scrum in rugby) I've never seen anyone attempt to do it in an MMA comp, it's actually more difficult than it seems besides despite what fighters may say when hyping their fights up they don't actually intent to hurt their opponent that much.

 

[Buka]

Basically picking them up and dropping them on the top of their head or anything that can lead to a broken neck ( like the scrum in rugby) I've never seen anyone attempt to do it in an MMA comp, it's actually more difficult than it seems besides despite what fighters may say when hyping their fights up they don't actually intent to hurt their opponent that much.

That's what I figured. But I wonder why they allow suplexes? Seem just as dangerous to the neck.

 

[Transk53]

Another is it allowed question;

Are you allowed to ram your opponents head into the cage in an MMA fight?

Yep.

Surprised about that one.

 

[Buka]

This is that suplex I mentioned. We were watching that fight on TV. Everyone gasped, thought he might have broken his neck. But it's a legal move.

 

[Transk53]

This is that suplex I mentioned. We were watching that fight on TV. Everyone gasped, thought he might have broken his neck. But it's a legal move.

OMG. I winced while they were mid air. How can that be legal. Looks just as bad as a Spear tackle.

 

[Hong Kong Pooey]

If you're significantly bigger than your opponent, your opponent is tired as hell, and you've been watching him fight all day, then yeah the elbow to the spine is a great Double Leg takedown defense.

Fortunately, the DLT isn't the only TD out there. :supcool:

Just because those were the circumstances in this particular instance, it doesn't necessarily follow that it will only work if all of those conditions are met.