The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts state that numerous allegedly contentious combat maneuvers are prohibited in MMA and the UFC. Today, we take a quick look at a few of the famous unlawful techniques that the UFC, the world’s top MMA organization, has outlawed.
We’ll talk about some notable fouls that could result in a fighter being disqualified or, at the least, having points deducted from the judges’ scorecards, in addition to a few other improper moves. Although numerous organizations all around the world abide by the Unified Rules of MMA, not all of them do. Some techniques are forbidden in the UFC and other MMA competitions in North America and Europe that adhere to the Unified Rules.
Which moves in the UFC are forbidden?
Without further ado, let’s look at the UFC’s list of prohibited moves-
#1 In the UFC, it is forbidden to use the notorious Piledriver, shoot after the bell, or disrespect the referee
One of the fundamental principles of the UFC is that when the bell/buzzer announces the end of a round or the conclusion of the fight, the two competitors involved are not allowed to hit one another. After the bell, there is no more time for fighting or striking.
The referee separates the fighters as soon as the bell or buzzer announces the conclusion of a round or fight. The referee has the right to disqualify any fighter who flagrantly disobeys his or her instructions. For instance, both competitors must cease fighting when the referee orders them to, whether they are hitting or grappling.
The Piledriver, one of the riskiest maneuvers in professional wrestling, is additionally prohibited in MMA. A fighter is not permitted to spike his or her opponent on the head or neck and drive them to the ground.
#2 In the UFC, headbutts, grabbing the fence, and grabbing an opponent’s gloves or shorts are all prohibited moves
Often, fighters will employ this maneuver to keep their opponent against the fence of the octagon or to grab the fence while on the ground and support themselves as they stand.
In order to unfairly obtain leverage and catch an opponent, holding the opponent’s shorts and/or gloves is not allowed in MMA. Furthermore, headbutts are also forbidden in the UFC. Headbutts are infamous for tearing opponents apart and severely injuring both the recipient and the recipient of the blow.
#3 In the UFC, improper behavior, timidity, and throwing an opponent outside the cage are prohibited
It’s also unlawful to engage in unsportsmanlike behavior that harms your opponent. This covers actions like assaulting the opponent during a lull in the action, in between rounds, before or after the fight, and/or when the opponent is receiving medical attention from the judge.
Additionally, a fighter’s squad cannot act unsportsmanlike at all. A fighter’s cornermen cannot get involved in the fight, either to protect their fighter or to harm the adversary.
Extremely submissive behavior is also viewed as unlawful in the UFC, despite the fact that hostile behavior that falls under the category of unsportsmanlike conduct is unquestionably prohibited. In this case, fear is the issue.
In the UFC, behaviors like frequently pulling out of grappling or striking exchanges, fleeing from an opponent, purposefully dropping the mouthpiece to cause the referee to stop the fight, acting hurt, etc. are all viewed as being timid.
If a UFC competitor exhibits excessive timidity, the judges may deduct points from their scorecards or disqualify them.
To return to the topic of hostile behavior, it is prohibited to throw an opponent out of the MMA arena or cage, or in the case of the UFC, the octagon. Despite being very famous in sports entertainment promotions featuring professional wrestling, this move is forbidden in MMA.
When an opponent is thrown out of the octagon, there may be serious repercussions for the combatant, especially if the opponent sustains serious injuries.
#4 The UFC forbids the use of 12-6 elbows, small-joint manipulation, rabbit punches, throat attacks, pulling the skin of the opponent, and reaching out with the hands or fingers toward the face of the opponent
The 12-6 elbow is one of the most well-known and contentious unlawful techniques in MMA
An elbow that is delivered to a downed opponent at a perpendicular angle to the ground but in a trajectory that corresponds to the numbers 12 and 6 on the wall clock is known as a 12-6 elbow.
In addition, it is forbidden to pull and/or twist an opponent’s fingertips, toes, or any of the many other joints in their body. Keep in mind that UFC does not prohibit wrist or ankle locks, despite popular belief to the contrary.
Wrist locks and ankle locks are frequently used to cover up small-joint manipulation attacks, making this a very nuanced problem in the sport of MMA.
Thus, unless a minor joint is truly broken, it becomes challenging for the referee to stop the action. Perhaps the best way to understand this regulation is to concentrate on the fact that a fighter is not permitted to twist and pull an opponent’s fingers and toes.
In the UFC, it is also against the rules to punch someone in the back of the skull, the spine, or behind the ear. Even unintentional blows to these regions could be harmful to the opponent who takes them. Whether or not the referee would warn the fighter, take away a point, or disqualify him or her would rely on how much harm the strike had done.
In the UFC, it is also prohibited to hit an opponent in the throat, assault the trachea, twist or pull the victim’s flesh, use a claw or pin, or keep your fingers extended in the direction of the victim’s eyes or face.
#5 In the UFC, using foul language is also prohibited, as is attacking a fallen opponent with stomps, soccer kicks, and knees to the head
In the UFC, it’s against the rules to stomp or strike an opponent who is already down.
As we saw in the UFC bantamweight title match between etr Yan and Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259, striking an opponent in the head with a knee is an odd move that could result in a fighter being disqualified.
And perhaps the most intriguing illegal action on this list is using foul words against your opponent. In line with the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, this is undoubtedly forbidden in the UFC. However, for using profanity and/or making obscene motions to insult their opponents, fighters typically do not lose points or get disqualified.
#6 In the UFC, illegal maneuvers include groin strikes, hair yanking, eye pokes, biting, spitting, and fish hooking
All of the following actions are prohibited in the UFC: biting, spitting, deliberate eye pokes or outright attempts to gouge an opponent’s eyes out, attacking the groin region, pulling an opponent’s hair, striking them in the face.
The act of intentionally hooking an opponent by sticking one or more digits into their mouth or another orifice and attempting to pull them apart is prohibited in the UFC.
In order to worsen a cut or laceration on the opponent’s face, fighters frequently employ the fish-hooking method by inserting their fingers into the wound. The opponent could sustain severe injuries and/or permanent disfigurement as a consequence.
What are the repercussions of using prohibited moves in the UFC?
If a UFC fighter employs one or more of these prohibited techniques, the referee may deduct points from their total from all three judges’ scorecards or disqualify them.
The fight concludes in an NC if the action is determined to have been unintentional (no contest). As determined in the Yan v. Sterling UFC bantamweight championship match, if the move is deliberate, the competitor is disqualified.
If an opponent is hurt during an unlawful move in the UFC and is unable to continue the fight despite being ahead on the scorecards, the opponent is declared the victor by technical decision. On the other hand, if a fighter hurts a rival and the rival is trailing on the scoresheets, the UFC fight concludes in a technical draw.
