Voice your opinion on MMA rules & procedures |
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MODular Approach
Career record: 1032-582
Season: 39-20 (#371)
Location:
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I recently spoke with Nick Lembo, the legal counsel for the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and recently appointed chairperson of the Association of Boxing Commissioners' MMA committee, which includes representatives from all the major sanctioning bodies.
Mr. Lembo is in the process of gathering input from those within the MMA industry, as well as the media and fans of the sport, to help guide the committee on important decisions that will affect the rules of MMA.
That includes you, our CBSSports.com readers.
Mr. Lembo asks that readers submit their opinions and comments in writing, no later than September 17, 2008. Comments should be mailed to the following address:
DAG Nicholas Lembo
NJ State Athletic Control Board
Hughes Justice Complex
P.O. Box 180
Trenton, NJ 08625-0180
The committee is reviewing the unified rules of MMA for potential changes, most notably the amendments discussed at the ABC Convention in Montreal in July. Key areas of discussion include, but are not limited to:
* Strikes to the back of the head (more specifically, the question of how wide the foul area is... this would be the "headphones" interpretation vs. the "mohawk" interpretation).
* Downward elbow strikes
* Knees to the head of a grounded opponent
* Scoring
* Weight classes
Lembo told me he welcomes comments on all aspects of the rules, so if you have an issue you would like the committee to address other than those listed above, by all means, include it. You never know -- if others have the same feedback, you could inspire change for the better in this still-evolving sport.
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Post #1 8/22/08 9:01:02PM
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Aether
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 929-503
Season: 18-6 (#1669)
Location: Edmonton
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scoring. hands down.
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Post #2 8/22/08 9:06:00PM
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Mr_Dead_Sexy
MMA Regular
Career record: 1044-576
Season: 39-20 (#649)
Location: So Cal
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Scoring, without a doubt. The debate on "getting a takedown but controlling/doing nothing or being active from the bottom, which scores higher?" needs to be settled definitively.
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Post #3 8/22/08 10:13:37PM
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Jesse_Canadian_MMA
Belt Contender
Career record: 818-565
Season: 26-13 (#1669)
Location: Windsor Ontario
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I agree with the scoring that currently has fighters like sherk winning fights by taking his opponent down and laying on them even though the guy on the bottom(florian, franca) are doing way more damage from the bottom then sherk on top. This needs to be checked
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Post #4 8/22/08 10:37:55PM
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stock
Banned
Career record: 177-102
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Austin, TX
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The recent huge change to calls regarding strikes to the back of the head really irks me.
I know we want to keep the fighters' safety paramount, but come on. You are stepping into a cage to fight another person.
I wouldn't have a problem except that it changes the defense in a fight. Fighters (ie.. Herring) will just start to turtle up with only the back of their head exposed since they know they cannot get hit there. I think this causes more fights to go to decision.
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Post #5 8/23/08 12:34:59AM
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The-Don
Belt Contender
Career record: 293-204
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: TN
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I think scoring over all is what needs to be changed the most.. the rest just need to have the rules set there is too much loose inturpatation on them it needs to be standarized across the board..
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Post #6 8/23/08 10:15:51AM
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tepid55
MMA Sensei
Career record: 1066-568
Season: 43-16 (#168)
Location: Texas
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Scoring needs the most work.
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Post #7 8/23/08 10:21:21AM
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MFOTHER
In Full Mount
Career record: 865-485
Season: 46-13 (#283)
Location: North East USA
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i said scoring, with back of the head secong.
if the scoring gets improved (which it should) we'll either see a) alto less wrestlers in mma 2) wrestlers not doing as well, or c) wrestlers really evolving using their wrestling as a base to build of off......lay and pray would be a ting of the past.
(i used wrestlers most, because i think they benefit most from the current rules, but obviously they need a complete overhall, to include all kicks, sub attempts and reversals, transitions etc....)
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Post #8 8/23/08 10:33:24AM
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stock
Banned
Career record: 177-102
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Austin, TX
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The only reason I didn't go with scoring is because it is less of an issue for me compared to the whole "back of the head" thing.
I generally don't feel sorry for fighters that let it go to the score cards.
The last fight I can think of where the judges really screwed the pooch was the Bisping/Hammill fight.
Another thing on my list would be to get some consistency on when a fight should be stopped. I feel jipped every time there is an early stoppage.
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Post #9 8/23/08 11:15:34AM
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The-Don
Belt Contender
Career record: 293-204
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: TN
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Posted by stock
The only reason I didn't go with scoring is because it is less of an issue for me compared to the whole "back of the head" thing.
I generally don't feel sorry for fighters that let it go to the score cards.
The last fight I can think of where the judges really screwed the pooch was the Bisping/Hammill fight.
Another thing on my list would be to get some consistency on when a fight should be stopped. I feel jipped every time there is an early stoppage.
 Hammill had that fight all the way in my opinionbut an overhaul on the scoring system would adjust how fighters actually come into the fight.. the only thing I don't want to see is a fighter rewarded for aggression if he is getting picked apart as that rule goes against counter strikers.. so it will be a hard thing to set properly.. someone like machida who uses precision strikes but is backing away alot is not in essence running.. he in most of his fights i have seen is still in control cause his opponent is doing exactly what machida wants ...
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Post #10 8/23/08 4:43:39PM
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jocka
In Full Mount
Career record: 231-168
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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I do agree that the scoring system should be revised for sure but i also believe we should allow knees to the face. It would of made a huge difference in the Herring/Lesnar fight doesn't matter if you block the knees of not they will do damage. The fight would of went to the decision
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Post #11 8/23/08 6:59:06PM
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breakdown5
MMA Sensei
Career record: 550-269
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: A rock spinning through space and time...
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Scoring is definitely the most in need of change. It's like the refs have zero understanding of grappling. They consistently reward fighters for just maintaining position on top, no matter how many submission attempts the guy on the bottom throws in an attempt to finish the fight.
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Post #12 8/23/08 11:58:41PM
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jae_1833
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 939-583
Season: 41-18 (#434)
Location: Cali
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All of these need to be addressed.
My opinion is headphones for back of head. I like the vertical elbow strikes rule that was adated, knees to the head of a grounded opponent should be allowed, just not stomps or sccer kicks. Wieght classes as per UFC/Wec. Lastly the sticky scoring rules. I don't think it's as much of a problem as people think. Having some sort of protocal for judges and referees is though....they need to get on the same page!
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Post #13 8/24/08 2:14:08PM
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JimiMak
WarWagon Never Die!
Career record: 379-298
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: talkin trash to the garbage around me
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If knees and kicks are put back in place we need to worry about things like scoring much less. More clean ko's less dec's etc.
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Post #14 8/24/08 3:25:40PM
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Bumpy
MMA Regular
Career record: 597-437
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: KY
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Scoring I think has always been a problem.
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Post #15 9/4/08 5:50:23PM
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