UFC is expected to ban oblique kicks in the near future, according to Joe Rogan. The commentator relayed the information about the planned rule change. The promotion has not yet detailed how or when the ban would take effect.
The UFC is expected to ban oblique kicks in the near future, according to commentator Joe Rogan, who relayed word of the planned rule change. The report is not officially confirmed, and the promotion has not detailed how or when any ban would take effect.
The oblique kick, a straight kick driven into the side of an opponent's lead leg or knee, has become a fixture of modern MMA striking. It attacks the joint from an angle, forcing fighters to either check it or risk having the leg buckle. Because it is thrown from distance, it has become a favored tool for managing range without exposing the kicker to heavy return fire.
The reported change would mark a significant shift in how legal strikes are defined under the unified rules the sport operates on. Any new restriction would likely require clarity on exactly which kicks fall under the ban, such as whether it would cover only strikes to the knee or all kicks to the lead leg's side, and how officials would enforce it mid-fight. None of those specifics have been outlined.
What to watch
- Whether the UFC issues an official statement confirming the rule and its scope
- How the promotion would define a banned oblique kick as opposed to a standard low kick
- Whether athletic commissions, which regulate the sport at the state level, would need to adopt matching language
Rogan, who works as a UFC color commentator, did not offer a timeline, and no further details of the proposed change have been reported. Until the promotion addresses the matter directly, the story remains an unconfirmed claim about a rule that would directly affect fighters who rely on the technique.
