Dana White has backed a proposal to ban a controversial kick long associated with Jon Jones, after a dispute during a UFC 331 fight brought the technique back into focus. The UFC chief’s response signals support for a rules discussion, but the move remains legal and no ban has been adopted.

The issue arose in Los Angeles when Edmen Shahbazyan complained about Brunno Ferreira’s side kicks to his knee during their middleweight bout. Shahbazyan went on to win by unanimous decision. California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster subsequently said he wanted to pursue a change to the rules covering lateral kicks to the knee, according to MMA Fighting.

White weighs in on a divisive technique

Asked about Foster’s proposal after an episode of Dana White’s Contender Series, White praised the regulator and said: “We don’t disagree.” It is a short answer with potentially wide consequences: if regulators eventually outlaw the technique, fighters would lose a legal strike used both to attack the lead leg and to keep an advancing opponent at a distance. White’s support alone does not change the rules.

Often called an oblique kick, the strike drives the foot into or around an opponent’s knee while that opponent is standing. It has drawn criticism because of the potential for serious knee injuries. The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports’ published Unified Rules list the sport’s prohibited actions, but do not prohibit this kick against a standing opponent. Their ban on stomping concerns a grounded fighter, a different situation.

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Jon Jones and an old argument

Jones used the technique prominently during his light heavyweight reign. Former opponent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson criticised its use after losing to Jones in 2011, a reaction revisited by SPORTbible. The latest discussion is therefore about a strike that has been disputed for years, even though the immediate trigger was the Shahbazyan–Ferreira bout.

Foster’s proposed change would need to pass through the relevant rulemaking process before it could affect fights. For now, the question is whether regulators will draw a new line around kicks to the knee, and precisely how they would define the technique without catching other legal leg strikes.

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