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By: Jason Amadi, MMATorch Columnist
Dylan writes:
Q: Alright so after watching [last week's] episode of TUF and some various MMA, I have come to the decision that I think cage grabbing should be regarded as the same level as eye pokes, shots to the back of the head, groin shots etc etc. I think they should get officially warned and then a point taken if the offense is repeated. I know it's human nature to try to grab something or someone when you're falling but it can make a huge difference in fight. Especially when you know you're not going to get into any trouble for it and it can be a huge benefit at the time. Let's go back to the TUF fight Dane vs Sako. The fight sucked but I'll just stick to my point. Sako grabbed the cage once in each round while he was being taken down. Had Sako not grabbed the cage he would have been taken down each time and a definite advantage giving to Dane point wise and even possible for Dane to do serious damage and even finish the fight. This is just one of many recent cage grabbing moments as of late.
So my question is do you agree with making some sort of system to prevent cage grabbing? Should it be regarded more as an illegal action in the cage?
A: Dylan, cage grabbing is already an illegal activity much like eye gouging, shots to the back of the head, and groin shots. As a matter of fact, if you consult the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, you’ll find that the rules are fairly well laid out, but inexcusably open to interpretation. The problems we're having these days are that the state of judging in MMA is atrocious and referee decisions are incredibly inconsistent.
However, if you look at a fight like Rashad Evans vs. Tito Ortiz from UFC 73 (and I don't recommend that you do), you'll see that Ortiz grabbed the fence a few times in a row before referee "Big" Jon McCarthy decided to deduct a point. That's probably one of the more famous examples of cage grabbing resulting in a point deduction and pretty much the only reason to ever go back and re-watch that fight. Points are usually deducted because of a fighter blatantly ignoring the instructions of the referee, rather than a referee looking to inflexibly uphold the rules.
Personally, I can't say that I'm entirely against the use of environmental surroundings in a fight. I just find it a tad hypocritical that it's frowned upon to grab a hold of the fence defensively, while it's completely legal to press someone up against the fence to score takedowns. There is a clear advantage in trying to get a takedown against a solid barrier, so grabbing a hold of that barrier to nullify that advantage, while illegal, isn't altogether reprehensible. Grabbing a hold of the fence simply isn't as big of a deal as an illegal strike, and in most cases it is more natural instinct than anything.
If you have a question on MMA, send it to mmatorch@gmail.com. Jason will sort through questions we receive and answer them on a regular basis here at our website and on our apps.
You can ask the basic of questions about the sport or the rules. You can ask questions about its history or its future. You can ask for his opinion on a particular controversial topic. It's wide open.
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(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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