Can the design of MMA gloves be altered to decrease the prevalence of eye pokes

[NotoriousNick]

These are referred to as "MMA sparring gloves" where the padding on top of the glove extends slightly beyond finger length. Now this design would obviously need to be tweaked (e.g tighter finger straps, thinner and more malleable padding that is slightly arched past the 2nd digit etc.) but what are your thoughts on incorporating a similar design in sanctioned MMA fights? What are some of the cons?

I've considered some. A fighter's grip might be slightly hindered with grappling. Eye pokes are possible as the fingertips are still exposed on the inside of the glove. So is it worth implementing if it doesn't completely take out the risk of eye pokes?

 

[cgold21]

If only there was some type of glove that covers your entire hand...

 

[Phrozenspite]

No. look at the last bellator event, you had eyepokes with their gloves. same with Rizin. curved or extended gloves don't stop the thumb in the eye, or the hand being used to push off of an opponent for fingers in the eye.

 

[joeyjoejoe]

Fuck they can't change anything in this sport, still using the broken boxing scoring system.

 

[Burning Hammer]

You could start by deducting points immediately, but that has nothing to do with the gloves.

 

[Phrozenspite]

You could start by deducting points immediately, but that has nothing to do with the gloves.

this. as soon as camps lose a fight or two because of that or grabbing the fence it will be drilled into their fighters constantly to not do that. Same as learning to fall properly and how not to break a fall(unless you want to break a leg or arm too) while being taken down or thrown.

 

[The Bard]

You could design them so they don't fit Jon Jones' hands.

 

[Oooxente]

You could start by deducting points immediately, but that has nothing to do with the gloves.

This
To stop something the easier way is to apply a heavy penalty.

First eye poke point deduction
Twice in the same fight, point deduction plus purse fine

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

 

[FenoxSky]

I have Bad Boy Sparring gloves very similar to those Adidas.
And so does my best friend, we never have eyepoke problems, and I hand fight a lot.

 

[Phrozenspite]

as stated above. doesn't stop these when someone pushes off or the thumb goes in the eye

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

as stated above. doesn't stop these when someone pushes off or the thumb goes in the eye

Nothing is going to be perfect, but it would reduce the number of eye pokes.

 

[Phrozenspite]

Nothing is going to be perfect, but it would reduce the number of eye pokes.

in theory it would actually help the eyepoke happen here.

you don't need to change gloves, it's about getting fighters to respect the rule rather than it just being a temporary pause.

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

in theory it would actually help the eyepoke happen here.

you don't need to change gloves, it's about getting fighters to respect the rule rather than it just being a temporary pause.

The current gloves are poorly designed. the resting position is straight out. that poke absolutely wouldn't happen with the PRIDE Gloves. He came straight in there.

Find some images of eyepokes in PRIDE, it's their gloves I posted. They happened, but they were less frequent. And the grappling wasn't impaired by them. Don't know what the problem is with trying something more advanced than bouncer gloves.

 

[Phrozenspite]

The current gloves are poorly designed. the resting position is straight out. that poke absolutely wouldn't happen with the PRIDE Gloves. He came straight in there.

Find some images of eyepokes in PRIDE, it's their gloves I posted. They happened, but they were less frequent. And the grappling wasn't impaired by them. Don't know what the problem is with trying something more advanced than bouncer gloves.

the problem is you're advocating changing rules when the current rules aren't being enforced most of the time for that foul. If they started taking points and the eyepokes were still happening frequently i'd be all for different gloves.
Pride isn't exactly comparable because you didn't really have fighters with the same distance game who were as well rounded as current top MMA.

 

[SH10151]

something like the PRIDE glove and this

obviously modified a bit, maybe less padding and thin out areas between the fingers

 

[anthony stark]

Cut their fingers.

 

[syct23]

I'll allow it..

 

[TheGOD]

They need to use Bellator's gloves for hand protection alone. As for eye pokes, if you can reduce the number of offending digits to one (the thumb) from five, then it's still an improvement.

 

[DwayneUSA]

Pride used gloves that had curved finger-pads that kept a fighters fingers out of an opponent's eyes..

Joe Rogan has verbally creamed his jeans squealing about them on many occasions.