Gloves in MMA

[The Pred]

I was just wondering if anyone could answerer this. In MMA sports or any full contact martial arts, people are required to wear gloves, but don't have to wear feet guards. Furthermore, If you think about it, if no one wore gloves, there would probably be less head concussions since less shots would be take to the head (unless you can get some elbows in).

[sensei8]

That's good question...great topic...gloves but no feet guards?!! Somehow I can only assume the summation of why this is true, and that is, feet guards might offer up an obstruction of some type.

Maybe...they're ungodly a waste of material: Often times, they don't stay on your feet whenever you put them on...the darn things move, and the top ends up on the side, or quite near to the side. Reach down to adjust them in MMA...you're an open target, then you're toast.

Again, I'm only guessing. I've really never gave the rule any thought because it seemed natural to glove the hand, and not guards on the feet.

Sorry, I can't give a more plausible reason as to why one and not the other!!

[Judodad_karateson]

Same reason boxers wear gloves: It makes the fights more marketable. Bare knuckle fights have less strikes, more superficial cuts that make it look more graphic than it is, and end much quicker. Taking out these 3 factors makes it far more palatable for causal observers.

Its all about that $$$

Edited August 17, 2015 by Judodad_karateson

[sensei8]

Same reason boxers where gloves: It makes the fights more marketable. Bare knuckle fights have less strikes, more superficial cute that make it look more graphic than it is, and end much quicker. Taking out these 3 factors makes it far more palatable for causal observers.

Its all about that $$$

Yeah, I like this answer...it's much better of an answer than mine!!

[The Pred]

Same reason boxers where gloves: It makes the fights more marketable. Bare knuckle fights have less strikes, more superficial cute that make it look more graphic than it is, and end much quicker. Taking out these 3 factors makes it far more palatable for causal observers.

Its all about that $$$

Money runs everything

[Titanium]

Same reason boxers where gloves: It makes the fights more marketable. Bare knuckle fights have less strikes, more superficial cuts that make it look more graphic than it is, and end much quicker. Taking out these 3 factors makes it far more palatable for causal observers.

Its all about that $$$

Good explanation; its sad that money is a priority.

It should be hand and feet guards, is it worth so much to people to cause so much physical injury?

You can be competitive without going out to hurt someone else violently.

[Titanium]

Same reason boxers where gloves: It makes the fights more marketable. Bare knuckle fights have less strikes, more superficial cute that make it look more graphic than it is, and end much quicker. Taking out these 3 factors makes it far more palatable for causal observers.

Its all about that $$$

Money runs everything

Very true, however it should not be like this.

[sensei8]

Same reason boxers where gloves: It makes the fights more marketable. Bare knuckle fights have less strikes, more superficial cuts that make it look more graphic than it is, and end much quicker. Taking out these 3 factors makes it far more palatable for causal observers.

Its all about that $$$

Good explanation; its sad that money is a priority.

It should be hand and feet guards, is it worth so much to people to cause so much physical injury?

You can be competitive without going out to hurt someone else violently.

To the bold type above...

I don't think that that will work with the UFC because a KO is anything, imho, but violent. A KO possibility sells tickets.

[Titanium]

I think I phrased that wrong. What I mean is that gloves appear to be a disadvantage is some MA's.

[JR 137]

I thought I read the reason why foot guards weren't used in the early days of the UFC was that it was too difficult to perform feet/ankle locks on people wearing them.

I also remember one of the Shamrocks wearing wrestling sneakers in a match and was told by Big John McCarthy that he wasn't allowed to kick while wearing them after he threw a roundhouse at his opponent's thigh.

It's all about money, at the end of the day. I haven't seen the official UFC gloves, but I don't think they offer much protection to the wearer or the opponent. I think they're there to appease people who think MMA is too violent. I don't recall Royce Gracie wearing them, but maybe I'm wrong.