Joe Rogan Reveals UFC Plans to Introduce New Striking Rules, Including Oblique Kick Ban
UFC rules have evolved over time and have made the sport fairer for the athletes and more entertaining for fans. Some rules and rule changes can be viewed as controversial, and not everybody agrees on how rules should be both written and implemented. The most recent rules changed what constitutes a downed opponent and legalized 12-to-6 elbows. Remember Jon Jones’ sole loss against Matt Hamill back in 2009? That would have been ruled fair starting November 1, 2024.
There are many areas of MMA that have been closely looked at for rule changes, and it appears that one striking technique will soon be banned from the UFC. While speaking to Paddy Pimblett on the JRE podcast, Joe Rogan revealed that the oblique kick will be banned from the UFC.
Rogan and Pimblett were discussing top fighters in the welterweight division when Shavkat Rakhmonov was mentioned. For those who haven’t followed the Kazakh lately, the 19-0 contender has been sidelined for nearly two years with a knee injury he sustained from an oblique kick by Ian Garry in their fight at UFC 310.
Despite winning the fight via decision, Rakhmonov tore both his ACL and meniscus. He has subsequently struggled with recovery and has been used as an example of why the oblique kick should be banned. While discussing Shavkat’s extended injury, Pimblett asked Rogan if he believes oblique kicks should be banned. Rogan said, “It is going to be made illegal. Yes, I know. I think we’re announcing it right now.”
When will the oblique kick be banned in the UFC?
There has been no official announcement from the UFC yet, although the promotion could reveal the rule change during the UFC 334 weigh-in show or the event itself on November 14. As with previous rule changes, a grace period is expected between the announcement and its implementation. Therefore, even if the promotion makes the announcement at UFC 334, headlined by Josh Hokit challenging Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight championship, the new rule is unlikely to come into effect before 2027.
Pimblett is not a fan of the potential rule change, saying it should not be illegal and is something that should have to be dealt with like everything else in a fight. Rogan partially agreed, but countered with, “I agree in some ways, but the problem is it ends careers. It can change careers forever. Thiago Santos against Jon Jones. He was never the same again.”
🚨 Joe Rogan reveals that oblique kicks are going to be made ILLEGAL:
“It is going to be made illegal, I know. I think we’re announcing it right now.”
(via @joerogan) https://t.co/88o8JAh8nt
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 11, 2026
The other side of that argument is that there are other techniques that can change careers or produce as severe an injury, including various leg locks. It can also be argued that any technique has the potential to end a career. However, the ban on oblique kicks could result in more safety for the athletes, which should always be considered.
What will be the effect if the oblique kick is banned?
While the change may seem pretty drastic and restrictive for fighters, looking back at the many changes since the days of original UFC tournaments, eventually, this change may be viewed as necessary and better for the sport. Back in UFC 1, there were no weight classes, no time limits, no gloves, and many fighters wore shoes. So, the natural progression of the sport should include new rules and developing ways to keep the sport safe and fair.
MMA is an especially volatile sport, since it is very new and, at its core, is a sport that revolves around doing the most damage to each other while keeping the athletes relatively safe. However, the UFC has been effective in developing rules, especially with legendary referee “Big John” McCarthy contributing to the sport’s rules.
If the oblique kick is made illegal and announced at UFC 334, it will be interesting to see when it is implemented and exactly how the rule will be written. It could affect some fighters who use this technique as a big part of their game plans, like Ian Garry, and other fighters like Khalil Rountree and Max Holloway use a similar side kick technique to the leg.
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