UFC is one of the most anticipated physical combat sports of MMA. Fast forward to today, and the UFC follows the Unified Rules of MMA, which includes a greatly expanded list of illegal moves to help ensure the safety of fighters, to discourage unsportsmanlike conduct, and to keep fights fair. UFC has banned some potentially dangerous techniques which could be deadly for fighters. However, all these rules ensure no serious injury or harm is caused to the fighter during the game.
Here's a breakdown of some of the most notable banned moves in the UFC:
Strikes to the Head and Neck
Several rules are in place to protect fighters from severe head and neck trauma.
Headbutts
A headbutt is a precise punch to the head that usually involves using a sturdy part of the skull. Headbutting an opponent can result in serious brain trauma and lifelong damage that cannot be repaired just like suplex. This is one of the most controversial illegal UFC maneuvers. Headbutts used to be completely acceptable in the UFC. They are not now. Why?Do you remember the UFC 259 moment when Cruz Dominick accidentally headbutted Cejudo?
12-6 Elbows
A 12-6 elbow is a strike used in the fighting sport of mixed martial arts. Although elbows are an important weapon in MMA, fighters have to be careful not to use downward pointing elbow strikes, which are illegal in the UFC. There remains some confusion at times about what constitutes a 12-6 elbow versus legal elbow strikes, but basically fighters cannot raise their elbow straight up (to the 12 o’clock position) and then bring it straight down (to the 6 o’clock position), using the tip of the elbow to strike their opponent. There is no question that they need to be prohibited since they can seriously harm the opponent's brain.
One of the most famous examples of 12-6 elbows came when Jon Jones faced off against Matt Hamill in the finale of The Ultimate Fighter 10 in 2009. Jon Jones dominated the fight, eventually taking Hamill down toward the end of the first round and mounting him before raining down damaging ground and pound, including some vicious elbows.
12-6 Elbow was banned because of seriously harming the opponents’ brains. It was banned till 1 st November 2018. But now, after recent changes in the unified rules of MMA, it is legalized. Anyone can now throw 12-6 elbows on their opponents. ABC voted for the removal of the ban in July 2024. Jon Jones, who was disqualified in December 2009 because of using 12-6 elbows in a match against Mark Hamil, is excited after this change in rules made by UFC. He said he has trained extensively for different attacks, including 12-6 elbows. Jones is also hopeful that the match’s result will be updated. He said the rule is changed now, so his match record should also be updated. He remained in a dominant position in that match till the end, but he was disqualified because of using a 12-6 elbow. He was disappointed at that referee’s decision.
Strikes to the Back of the Head or Spine
Striking on the back of the head is also known as rabbit punching. UFC competitors have the power to strike their opponents while grappling. However, they are not permitted to strike the spine or the back of the skull. Recently, an MMA referee put himself into controversy after not declaring a foul against Jasmine Jasudavicius when she won the match after multiple using band moves. One of the banned moves she used was a strike on the back of the head or back headshots. She was playing against Ariane Da Silva and was throwing multiple banned moves. However, the referee did not declare a foul against her, and she ultimately won the match.
During MMA bouts, fighters sometimes inadvertently hit the back of their opponent’s head in clinch situations, when their opponent is moving to defend against ground and pound, or in the course of throwing, ducking, and defending against punches. Conor McGregor’s TKO win over Dustin Poirer at UFC 178 is an example of fairly blatant strikes to the back of the head that referee Herb Dean either didn't see or didn't call as fouls. Some have argued that the initial strike that knocked Poirer to the ground was to the back of the head and should have been illegal (as well as some of the follow-up strikes McGregor landed on Poirer while he was turtled on the ground). It's possible that Dean didn't call the first one because Poirer was ducking into the punch and didn't call the others because they wouldn't have changed the outcome of the fight.
Throat Strikes
The UFC does not permit strikes or kicks to the throat. Fighters are not allowed to throw directed strikes to the throat or gouge a finger or thumb into the neck or trachea to try to submit their opponent. Due to the nature of the sport, accidental punches and kicks to the neck or throat are most likely to happen. Other than strikes, a player cannot grab the trachea, according to the recent changes made by the UFC in the unified rules of MMA. The referee would only break up a fight if one participant was injured or tried to strike the opponent's throat.
Eye Gouging
In eye poking, a fighter moves his hand towards the opponent's face with open fingers and hits his eyes. Eye gouging (using fingers, chin, or elbow) is illegal to protect the safety of fighters. If you can’t see your opponent, you can’t fight or defend yourself intelligently. Because UFC fighters use open-fingered gloves, however, unintentional eye pokes occur on a fairly regular basis. Eye pokes can occasionally result in a point deduction or even disqualification.
According to unified rules made by MMA, a fighter cannot direct his hands toward the opponent’s eyes. He cannot even direct his hands towards the eyes of the opponent. This rule is made as eye poking can cause serious eye injury. A person can lose his sight due to eye poking.
If the referee catches it, the affected fighter will be given five minutes to recover, and the offender will usually be given a warning. If they’ve already received a warning, they might have a point deducted. Sometimes the referee doesn’t see it, and the results can be controversial. Take the recent fight between former champ Chris Weidman and Bruno Silva, for example. Originally, Weidman was awarded the win via technical knockout (TKO) but after reviewing the footage and seeing not one but two vicious but accidental eye pokes, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board decided to turn to the scorecards instead.
Groin Strikes
An intentional hit to an opponent's groin region is called a groin strike. The Unified Rules of MMA prohibit any attack to the groin area. Blows to the groin often occur accidentally, just as headbutts. Even though fighters are required to wear cups, even accidental kicks to the groin may feel quite painful. A fighter gets five minutes to recover after receiving a punch or kick to the groin. In 2005 UFC 55, Alessio Sakara accidentally received the most brutal groin strike by his opponent, Ron Faircloth.
Kicks to a Grounded Opponent
It is acceptable to kick or knee the opponent in the head while standing; doing so while on the ground is against the law. After the recent changes in rules made by UFC, the definition of opponent on the ground has changed. Before a change in the rule, if any part of the body except the feet touched the ground, he was considered grounded. But now, after the rule change, an opponent will only be considered grounded if he touches or puts his elbows or knees on the ground.
There is an exception to this rule: when both fighters are on the ground, i.e., their knees or elbows are touching the ground. In that situation, both can kick each other while they are on the ground. It's important to note that those hits during grappling exchanges are not prohibited (if both fighters are on the ground). The person on top can land a knee to the head while getting up without realizing that their fist or knee is still in touch with the ground.
Soccer kicks, as the name suggests, are kicks that resemble someone kicking a football. These kicks are thrown on the player who is standing up or bending. These kicks are not allowed in the UFC because of the risk of breaking the bones. Soccer kicks are completely banned in the UFC. These kicks resemble the ones we see when a player kicks the ball in a soccer game. In MMA, competitors use the same action to deliver this kick, but they land it on the opponent bending or attempting to get up.
Soccer kicks were permitted in the early years of the UFC, but when unified rules were introduced in the early 2000s, they were banned. Soccer kicks are not banned in MMA promotions like Rizin Fighting Championship and ONE FC.
If you were a fan of the PRIDE Fighting Championships in the late 90s and early 2000s, you’re probably familiar with soccer kicks where a standing or semi-standing fighter would deliver devastating kicks to any part of an opponent (but often the head) who was either completely down on the mat, kneeling, or rising. Under the current definition, an opponent is considered “grounded” if anything other than the soles of their feet is bearing weight. As of January 2024, the ABC is currently considering changes to the definition of “grounded” yet again to instead refer to any part of a fighter’s body besides their hands or feet coming in contact with the mat. A fighter would need to put down a knee, forearm, their back, etc. rather than just a finger or hand to be considered grounded.
Yes, these are allowed in the UFC. These are only not allowed or banned when your opponent is grounded. So, if a player is not grounded, you can kick the face.
Other Illegal Actions
Beyond strikes, several other actions are prohibited to ensure fair play and prevent unnecessary harm.
Hair Pulling
Hair-pulling doesn't usually happen in a cage, even in the female UFC division. Even though it's uncommon, hair-pulling occasionally occurs when martial artists are engaged in the clinch. Interestingly enough, not only is pulling your opponent’s hair illegal, but fighters with long hair are also prohibited from using their own hair as a tool to hold or choke their opponent.
The banned move used by Jasmine Jasudavicius in a match playing against Ariane Da Silva was hair-pulling. Pics from the match of Jasmine Jasudavicius pulling Ariane's hair went viral on social media. Fans slammed the referee for not deciding against Jasmine over using banned moves. If a player uses any banned move in the match, then after one or two warnings given by the referee to him, he should be disqualified. This unlawful maneuver can also assist you to escape a locked-in position or prevent your opponent from surpassing you in strength.
Biting and Spitting
It should go without saying that you shouldn’t ever bite your opponent. Apparently, Igor Severino didn’t get the memo before his debut fight against Andre Lima. Biting is completely banned in the UFC. However, it occurs very rarely in all kinds of combat sports. A fighter must understand that a referee may be unable to see all their movements and must alert the referee if they are being bitten during the fight. Spitting on the opponent is also banned.
Small Joint Manipulation
Small joint manipulation is completely forbidden for UFC fighters. Elbows, knees, wrists, ankles, and shoulders are considered large joints while fingers and toes are small joints. Due to how strict this rule is, you hardly ever witness fighters disobeying it. Although martial arts like Krav Maga teach breaking fingers and toes, you cannot use these techniques in MMA. Even if joint locks and chokes are permitted, competitors must still put in their best effort to avoid hurting their opponents. When the opponent taps out, or the referee instructs them to stop, they must release the submission.
Holding Fence or Opponent's Gear
UFC fighters cannot grab or hold the fence using their toes or fingers. UFC fighters can, however, lean their hands and feet against the cage. They can even push off the cage with their hands or legs to get out of the clinch or any other position. Holding an opponent's gloves or shorts can give an advantage to a fighter, just like holding a fence.
Other Unsportsmanlike Conduct
A fighter cannot throw his opponent out of the fighting area or ring. This is very common in combat sports. But it is completely banned in UFC. He cannot disrespect the referee’s instructions. He cannot try to cause injury to the opponent. A fighter cannot hit the opponent if he is under the referee’s care for any reason. A fighter cannot hit the opponent during the break.
Consequences of Illegal Moves
Depending on the type of move played, there can be multiple consequences of using banned moves in UFC. Only referees can assess fouls and determine whether a warning, point deduction, or disqualification is appropriate. No referee or system is perfect. There are plenty of examples of missed fouls that changed the course of a fight, inconsistent referee calls where appropriate warnings were not given prior to a disqualification, early or late stoppages to fights, and more.
There does remain some disagreement within the MMA community about certain moves that are prohibited in the UFC but not other combat sports or fighting organizations (e.g., soccer kicks are allowed in the Rizin Fighting Federation in Japan, shootfighting, and vale tudo; throat strikes are acceptable in muay thai, etc.). It’s worth noting that the ABC continues to discuss and modify the rules as needed.
Top 10 Biggest UFC Controversies of All Time
Here is a summary of the banned moves in UFC:
| Category | Banned Move | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Strikes to the Head and Neck | Headbutts | Striking with the skull. |
| Strikes to the Head and Neck | 12-6 Elbows | Downward elbow strikes. |
| Strikes to the Head and Neck | Strikes to the Back of the Head or Spine | Hitting the back of the head or spine. |
| Strikes to the Head and Neck | Throat Strikes | Attacking the throat area. |
| Eye Attacks | Eye Gouging | Using fingers, chin, or elbow to attack the eyes. |
| Groin Attacks | Groin Strikes | Intentional hits to the groin region. |
| Kicks to a Grounded Opponent | Soccer Kicks | Kicking a grounded opponent. |
| Other Illegal Actions | Hair Pulling | Pulling the opponent's hair. |
| Other Illegal Actions | Biting and Spitting | Biting or spitting on the opponent. |
| Other Illegal Actions | Small Joint Manipulation | Breaking fingers or toes. |
| Other Illegal Actions | Holding Fence or Opponent's Gear | Grabbing the fence or opponent's gloves/shorts. |