Gloves in MMA

[sensei8]

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.

Solid post!!

Royce only wore his gi and belt; nothing else! Of course, early UFC had no weight divisions whatsoever...ah...those were the days!!

[The Pred]

Watching old UFC can be pretty awesome.

[sensei8]

Watching old UFC can be pretty awesome.

Yes, it can be, and it can be..."Man, I miss THAT UFC!!"

[The Pred]

Watching old UFC can be pretty awesome.

Yes, it can be, and it can be..."Man, I miss THAT UFC!!"

I like the fact that people wore their gis. Though Lyoto does wear his, plus I do respect the ones who bow before they enter. I believe that the ones who have a traditional martial arts background are the best fighters.

[Titanium]

Watching old UFC can be pretty awesome.

Yes, it can be, and it can be..."Man, I miss THAT UFC!!"

I like the fact that people wore their gis. Though Lyoto does wear his, plus I do respect the ones who bow before they enter. I believe that the ones who have a traditional martial arts background are the best fighters.

Indeed, bowing shows respect.

[Judodad_karateson]

MMA has become its one unique sport, now. We may as well call it vale tudo or pankration at this point.

I don't believe you can SAFELY and EQUALITY test striking and grappling arts in one fair contest. The rules will always favor one or the other, or even certain aspects of one or the other.

[sensei8]

MMA has become its one unique sport, now. We may as well call it vale tudo or pankration at this point.

I don't believe you can SAFELY and EQUALITY test striking and grappling arts in one fair contest. The rules will always favor one or the other, or even certain aspects of one or the other.

To the bold type above...

It's similar to the old saying...

"You can please some of the people sometime. You can please some of the people all sometimes. But you can't please all of the people all of the time."

What's one to do??

[ShoriKid]

Those gloves are there as much to protect the fighter's hands as they are to keep cuts down. Unwrapped, ungloved hands don't do so well with repeated strikes to the head. If you break your hand you are out for a couple of months at the very least, if it is a clean break. A lot of that time you can't do much more than work that other hand a little and run. No, or limited, grappling, no strength training and sparring will be right out the window.

Contrast that to shin guards. They shift, as many have stated. Enough that part of the way through any bout they will have the strapping material over the shin bone instead of the padding. Combine that with head kicks being very rare until recently, setting aside Cro Cop and a handful of others, there just hasn't been the need. The negatives far outweigh the positives.

[chrissyp]

From my understanding, the whole point of gloves, be in MMA and Boxing, is to prevent broken hands. The lack of shin guards would be, if the follow is true, because the shin is a very hard bone to break, so you wouldn't have to worrry about broken shins.

[Alan Armstrong]

Boxers that take up kickboxing, would most likely not feel comfortable fighting barehanded. As Jujitsu fighters would not feel comfortable wearing head protection and foot gear. What is good for one inhibits another. A conundrum for the mma.