On Tuesday, the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports voted unanimously to eliminate a ban on 12-to-6 elbows and update the definition of what constitutes a grounded fighter. The committee included the likes of California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster, Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Jeff Mullen, veteran officials Herb Dean, John McCarthy and Marc Goddard and judges Derek Cleary and Sal D’Amato, among others. Ariel Helwani was first to report the changes on social media.
The downward elbows were often a point of confusion for fighters because it could be difficult to determine that exact angle from which those strikes were being thrown. The rule as it was previously defined is as follows:
The use of a linear “straight up straight down” elbow strike is prohibited. Any variation of this straight up and down linear elbow strike makes the strike legal. Any arc, or any angle change from straight up to straight down makes the strike legal. Any variation of position does not alter the legality of the strike.
Now that ban will be eliminated from the Unified Rules. The most prominent example of the 12-to-6 rule taking effect occurred at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale on Dec. 5, 2009, when Jon Jones suffered a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill for landing what were determined to be illegal downward elbows. It was a fight that Jones was well on his way to winning, and it remains the only official loss on his record to this day.
Jones didn’t wait long to react to the rule change on social media.
“Undefeated then, undefeated now,” he wrote. [Dana White], we gotta get that loss out of the history books.”
The definition of a grounded fighter rule has also been a source of confusion in recent years, with fighters often attempting to play a dangerous game by placing their hands on the canvas to avoid being kneed or kicked. The new rule is as follows:
A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground).
Compare that to the old version of the rule:
Any part of the body, other sole of the feet touching the fighting area floor. To be grounded, the palm of one hand (a flat palm) must be down, and/or any other body part must be touching the fighting area floor. A single knee, arm, (not fingers) makes the fighter grounded without having to have any other body part in touch with the fighting area floor. At this time, kicks or knees to the head will not be allowed.
Now, a fighter must have a knee or elbow on the canvas to be considered down. If only their hands are on the mat, kicks and knees will be allowed.
The changes to the rules won’t officially go into effect until Nov. 1. This will allow for referees and physicians to undergo training to prepare for the changes and will allow fighters to adapt to the new rules. Additionally, individual athletic commissions will have to vote to approve the new rules.
Reference: https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/ABC-Approves-Rule-Changes-for-12to6-Elbows-Definition-of-a-Grounded-Fighter-194426
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