Fence grabs should be legal

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

The way things work now is that if you get pushed to the fence, you are vulnerable to a takedown via chain wrestling. Then it's very hard to get up, especially if you're against dagestani style wrestling where they use the cage effectively.

If you get taken down in the middle of the octagon, you can potentially stay in guard all round.

Shouldn't there be a "safety zone" for strikers where it's harder for them to get taken down? It would add another element of strategy to the sport, and would balance the wrestler/striker matchup.

Currently, strikers are shitting their pants every second of every round, they are constantly on the defensive since they're afraid of being taken down.

The end result is the striker is not able to mount any offense, and it gives the wrestler an advantage in the striking (!), since the striker is worried about takedowns. There is not a single advantage in this matchup to the striker.

Before USADA, strikers were actually juiced to the gills so they were more able to muscle out of being taken down. Not anymore though, too much wrestling and the strikers gas pretty quickly.

Allow fence grabs - at least, allow them for a period of time - maybe like a few seconds at a time, no holding on for dear life. Or, if you have a better idea for balancing the wrestler/striker matchup, I'm all ears.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

If fence grabs should be legal to balance the difference between strikers and wrestlers, should eye pokes and nut shots be legal to bridge the gap between wrestlers and strikers?

I would say no to both. Fence grabs also allow to top heavy grapplers to hold positions against the cage

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

If fence grabs should be legal to balance the difference between strikers and wrestlers, should eye pokes and nut shots be legal to bridge the gap between wrestlers and strikers?

I would say no to both. Fence grabs also allow to top heavy grapplers to hold positions against the cage

Well the wrestler has pretty much all the advantages here. At the highest level, they even have the striking advantage since the striker is worried about the TD, and can't strike.

There has to be something that can be done.

 

[Ares Black]

No, that's dumb.

 

[PicoPulse]

I think they should be legal in terms of its part of the Octagon and environment

but im pretty sure its illegal because they dont want someone breaking a finger in the fence and having to stop the fight Jones toe style

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Well the wrestler has pretty much all the advantages here. At the highest level, they even have the striking advantage since the striker is worried about the TD, and can't strike.

There has to be something that can be done.

Stikers have a ton of advantages as well. Skill gaps exist, you mitigate them in the training sessions

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

Stikers have a ton of advantages as well. Skill gaps exist, you mitigate them in the training sessions

Look at how the fights at the highest level play out in the lightweight division, for example. Khabib basically goes toe to toe with these guys who are striking experts because they're afraid of his TD. Then when they start to let the hands go he takes them down and makes short work of them. They were disadvantaged just by the matchup, not by any skill gap that could be realistically mitigated.

Khabib had the advantage standing, and on the ground. It's not very balanced when you have a high level wrestler vs a striker, even if the striker has impressive TDD, BJJ, etc.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Well the wrestler has pretty much all the advantages here. At the highest level, they even have the striking advantage since the striker is worried about the TD, and can't strike.

There has to be something that can be done.

They literally stop you every five minutes, give a one-minute break, and start the fight again standing... that's enough of an advantage lol.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Look at how the fights at the highest level play out in the lightweight division, for example. Khabib basically goes toe to toe with these guys who are striking experts because they're afraid of his TD. Then when they start to let the hands go he takes them down and makes short work of them. They were disadvantaged just by the matchup, not by any skill gap that could be realistically mitigated.

This is such weirdo logic, I've never seen someone try to make an argument like this

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

They literally stop you every five minutes, give a one-minute break, and start the fight again standing... that's enough of an advantage lol.

But the wrestler has the striking advantage... since the striker is scared shitless of being taken down again. Then he eventually takes him down again. Rinse and repeat. A round doesn't change that.

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

This is such weirdo logic, I've never seen someone try to make an argument like this

How is that weirdo logic. The point is that at the highest level, it's not very balanced - the wrestler basically wins every time.*

*Post-USADA.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

Well the wrestler has pretty much all the advantages here. At the highest level, they even have the striking advantage since the striker is worried about the TD, and can't strike.

There has to be something that can be done.

Every single fight and round start on the feet therefore advantage striker...

The wrestler has to get close to the striker to wrestle...this is not always easy.. advantage striker as strikers mostly love guys coming at them

What you should really be focusing is the lost art of Movement and foot movement in MMA...its whats really happening here..


Wrestling isnt some sort of cheat code..

Like all things in Martial Arts for every question there is an answer

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Look at how the fights at the highest level play out in the lightweight division, for example. Khabib basically goes toe to toe with these guys who are striking experts because they're afraid of his TD. Then when they start to let the hands go he takes them down and makes short work of them. They were disadvantaged just by the matchup, not by any skill gap that could be realistically mitigated.

Isn't that what training is, you develop skills to balance your ability. Sounds like your ire is directed at wrestling specifically when there's gap in multiple facets of MMA? Should a striker be able to hold gloves against a bbj guy too? How about small joint manipulation?

Also notice how only one current champ comes from a wrestling background?

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

I think they should be legal in terms of its part of the Octagon and environment

but im pretty sure its illegal because they dont want someone breaking a finger in the fence and having to stop the fight Jones toe style

Yeah that's a fair point. But really as well it would be a bad spectacle to see someone hanging onto the fence to avoid a TD, rather than sprawling or whatever.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

How is that weirdo logic. The point is that at the highest level, it's not very balanced - the wrestler basically wins every time.*
*Post-USADA.

If the wrestler wins every time how come only Usman is a champ?

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

Every single fight and round start on the feet therefore advantage striker...

The wrestler has to get close to the striker to wrestle...this is not always easy.. advantage striker as strikers mostly love guys coming at them

What you should really be focusing is the lost art of Movement and foot movement in MMA...its whats really happening here..


Wrestling isnt some sort of cheat code..

Like all things in Martial Arts for every question there is an answer

Except a striker is spending every second on the feet shitting his pants wondering when the next TD attempt is coming - the wrestler even has the advantage on the feet!

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Isn't that what training is, you develop skills to balance your ability. Sounds like your ire is directed at wrestling specifically when there's gap in multiple facets of MMA? Should a striker be able to hold gloves against a bbj guy too? How about small joint manipulation?

Also notice how only one current champ comes from a wrestling background?

I know lol, most wrestlers don't even try to wrestle anymore because so many guys have good TDD and striking.

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

If the wrestler wins every time how come only Usman is a champ?

No good wrestlers at FW. Khabib was the champ then retired, now Islam is likely champ at LW. At MW, no elite wrestling specialists. Same at LHW. At HW there's Blaydes, but Ngannou is humongous and has 1 punch KO power.

Manlet divisions don't count, since they're compact humans and the normal rules don't apply.

Wrestlers seem to be concentrated at LW and WW, and they're champs there.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

How is that weirdo logic. The point is that at the highest level, it's not very balanced - the wrestler basically wins every time.*

*Post-USADA.

That's not true at all, also what does post USADA have to do with it?

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

No good wrestlers at FW. Khabib was the champ then retired, now Islam is likely champ at LW. At MW, no elite wrestling specialists. Same at LHW. At HW there's Blaydes, but Ngannou is humongous and has 1 punch KO power.

Manlet divisions don't count, since they're compact humans and the normal rules don't apply.

So sounds like Stikers have just as much of an advantage. But the rules should change because Islam is so dominant?

Also Robert Whittaker is an Australian national champ, Izzy managed to develop enough skills to negate that. Funny how that works in a world where fence grabs are not allowed