Elbows to the back of the head should be legal from your back

[Alpha_T83]

Don’t talk rubbish. What next, anyone who moves their legs apart should be allowed to get kicked in the groin?

LOL that's a fucking retarded argument.

Khabib is literally protecting his head by showing an illegal target. You basically can't strike him when he's wrapping the legs because the back of his head is 'shielding' the rest of his body. This is the same as players turning their backs to hits in hockey, to make themselves an illegal target.

It's gutless little bitch bullshit.

Moving your legs apart doesn't prevent your opponent from striking you elsewhere. Therefore your argument is without merit, and simply a trolljob.

 

[Alpha_T83]

Fighting by the rules = exploiting the rules? Got it, you're clinically retarded. If you want a more realistic fighting setting, how about we replace the floor with concrete so that wrestlers can just kill opponents by slamming them into the ground?

No.

Fighting by the rules is obeying the rule "protect yourself at all times". When you show the back of your head and wrap your opponents legs, you can't even see strikes coming or defend them. You are violating one of the rules of MMA -- and therefore you are no longer protected by the rules.

The responsibility to avoid strikes to the back of the head is 50/50 on both fighters -- avoid trying to do it, but also protect yourself at all times and don't put yourself in a position to be struck in the back of the head. This principle is proven by 'accidental' strikes to the back of the head being allowed. Matt Serra struck GSP that way, but that was allowed because GSP ducked and put himself in a position to be struck in the back of the head.

When you use Khabib's move, you are violating the rules of MMA and therefore the other fighter has no obligation to not hit you.

The same thing happens with driving when merging lanes. Technically the responsibility [to merge safely] is 100% on the person merging lanes. However, that is dependent upon the driver 'in control' of the lane obeying the rules of the road. If they speed up aggressively to prevent lane merges, they are violating the rules of the road and now are 50/50 responsible for any accidents that result. As a result, insurance companies often assign 50/50 blame, even though the rules put 100% of the onus on the person merging.

You clearly have a poor understanding of how rules are applied.

 

[West_Hammer]

LOL that's a fucking retarded argument.

Khabib is literally protecting his head by showing an illegal target. You basically can't strike him when he's wrapping the legs because the back of his head is 'shielding' the rest of his body. This is the same as players turning their backs to hits in hockey, to make themselves an illegal target.

It's gutless little bitch bullshit.

Moving your legs apart doesn't prevent your opponent from striking you elsewhere. Therefore your argument is without merit, and simply a trolljob.

Nah it’s the same, you talk like striking the back of the head is the only thing a fighter can do in that situation. If your favourite fighter is so bad at wrestling defence that their only option to avoid getting wrapped up is an illegal strike with potentially fatal repercussions, maybe a) don’t take the Khabib fight, or b) git gud.

 

[JSN]

Then he shouldn't show that target.

He's wrapping his arms around the legs and showing his brain stem as a target. He is completely unable to defend strikes in that position -- or even see them coming.

It should be illegal for Khabib to put himself in that position. The duty to 'prevent strikes to the back of the head' should be 50/50 -- don't strike someone in that spot, and don't put yourself in that position. If you the fighter being hit isn't doing their part, then the rule shouldn't apply.

LOL that's a fucking retarded argument.

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

It's a little longer than that sometimes.

Khabib has gotten stuck at points wrapping the legs for 5-10 seconds while he worms his way up. It's enough for a high level MMA fighter to sneak in some devastating elbows, especially since BOTH of Khabib's arms are unable to defend strikes until he gets his leg clamp in place.

He typically sets his head out of striking position. Not only is it awkward landing strikes in that position, if you overcommit you're basically giving him the pass and even a chance to fully mount. Poor idea to bank on a few elbows and forsake your guard retention.

Plus if the leg triangle ever stops being viable he just stands up and works a tripod until he can pass. I just don't see elbows making a big difference. It'd certainly be annoying and make Khabib work tighter and faster.