Daniel Cormier has recently expressed his discontent with the potential legalization of the 12-6 elbow move in mixed martial arts (MMA), a change that is planned for implementation from November onward. Critics of the move argue it will push the sport towards its more violent origins, drawing away from its more regulated and professional public image garnered over the years. This shift in policy comes after the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABCCS) rules committee recently made a unanimous decision to repeal the ban on the use of 12-6 elbows during fights, reversing a longtime stance in place since the establishment of the unified rules in 2000.
Cormier voiced his concerns on ‘Funky and the Champ’, a show that he co-hosts with Ben Askren, talking about how he sees this rule change steering the sport into dangerous territory. He’s discussed his dislike for this move and cited other maneuvers such as soccer kicks as part of what he’d rather not see in MMA fights. He expressed his worry that changes like these may blur the line between professional competition and street fights.
The former UFC heavyweight champion, Cormier, expanded on an incident from his past where he faced ‘Rumble’ Johnson in a fight. In the fight, he wasn’t allowed to use a straight-down elbow but managed to find a loophole by utilizing a slightly arched elbow instead. This strategy cut Johnson in the process and it still raised questions about the legitimacy of the move.
What bothered Cormier in this situation was not the difficulty or the effectiveness of the move, but the minimal differences between what was legal and what wasn’t. In his opinion, slight modifications to moves should not invalidate their potentially dangerous and violent nature in the sport. Moves that appear too violent or resemble street fighting methods, according to Cormier, are not something he wants to see become more common in MMA.
Cormier hammered his point further by projecting potential outcomes of the rule change. In his view, once the norm of banning certain moves is disrupted, other extreme or ruthless moves may slowly creep back into the regulations of the sport. This could, ultimately, lead to an open floodgate of expanding rules that could bring back more contentious moves like soccer kicks and move MMA towards an undesirable direction of increased violence.
A significant occurrence that amplifies Cormier’s point is the case of current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones carries a sole blemish on his otherwise unbroken record due to disqualification which resulted from him using the 12-6 elbow move against Matt Hamill during a match in December 2009. This controversial incident etched a permanent mark in Jones’ career and adds weight to Cormier’s argument about potentially violent moves in MMA.
Despite the disqualification, Jon Jones made efforts to challenge the decision by reaching out to the Nevada Athletic Commission. His appeal, however, did not bear any fruitful results. The case was never reviewed and it forever remains as a testament to the damaging consequences of these types of moves in the MMA world.
UFC CEO Dana White, however, has had a different take on the Jon Jones incident. In the past, White has shown support for having Jones’ loss overturned, implying a more lenient stance towards the question of violent moves and the regulations surrounding them in the UFC. This dichotomy of views underscores the complexities underlying the regulation of moves within the sport and how differently they are perceived by various stakeholders.
While Cormier’s concerns focus on preventing MMA from reverting to its more violent roots, there’s a clear divergence among stakeholders in the sport over the severity of moves like the 12-6 elbow. These disagreements reflect the ongoing dialogues within MMA about maintaining a balance between combat intensity and player safety with regard to the evolving rules of the sport.
As we inch towards implementing the change from November, the long-term impact remains to be seen. For figures like Cormier, the rule change could be a step back for MMA and a potential cause of concern for those who seek to uphold athlete safety. It’s a clear indication that the issue of rule modifications and the potential for change in the sport’s overall image is a dialogue that will continue to evolve.