Serious Question about punches to the back of the head

[onemanshow83]

I remember back in the day during the brock lesnar and frank mir fight. They were serious about punches in the back of the head. Now it seems like they are permitted. I even remember the Jones vs Cormier 2 fight Jones landed a couple of punches to the back of the head. So my question is that are they permitted now????

 

[Venom]

They aren't permitted so much as excused in very close 50-50 cases especially toward the end of a fight, during a flurry, for instance you would expect some punches to land uncleanly behind the head or neck depending on how the receiver is defending and turning his head and it's not always easy to see in those circumstances.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

No lol, we would see a lot more back mounts with elbows to the back of the head

 

[Horsen A. Round]

They aren't permitted so much as excused in very close 50-50 cases especially toward the end of a fight, during a flurry, for instance you would expect some punches to land uncleanly behind the head or neck depending on how the receiver is defending and turning his head and it's not always easy to see in those circumstances.

Exactly it's kind of hard to punish a guy for a hit to the back of the head when a guy is twisting and turning on the ground.

 

[Cauliflower Ear]

Wasn't Brock's punch to Randy round the back of the head as well?

 

[MeagoR]

Wasn't Brock's punch to Randy round the back of the head as well?

Yes, so was Conor's downward Punch to Dustin in the 1 go around.

 

[Poatan Power]

Incidental hits to the back of the head when the opponent receiving the strikes is twisting his neck, switching positions, etc. is different than when an opponent is not moving his head and strikes are being delivered to the back of the head (likely intentional)

 

[ShreddinMMA]

Mir/Lesnar 1 was a pretty BS call on them. I recall Mir practically turning into them, hardly seemed intentional. That was also Steve Mazzagatti, one of the most questionable refs to work in the UFC.

They've been under called throughout MMA history IMO, like most penalties are.

 

[Cauliflower Ear]

Yes, so was Conor's downward Punch to Dustin in the 1 go around.

Conor cheating, nothing new or old

 

[Pierced7681]

Anyone remember Sakara ktfoing Patrick Cote with back of the head shots and getting dqd? Lol

 

[DestinedAussie]

I remember back in the day during the brock lesnar and frank mir fight. They were serious about punches in the back of the head. Now it seems like they are permitted. I even remember the Jones vs Cormier 2 fight Jones landed a couple of punches to the back of the head. So my question is that are they permitted now????

They aren't permitted, but it seems more the ref just stops it happening if they see it rather than dock points. You see the refs clearly saying "watch back of the head" regularly.

 

[El Fernas]

Refs are worst, rules have not changed, but since they have "clarified" what it is and what its not, then everything its not, basically.

 

[onemanshow83]

I appreciate you guys answering my question.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

They're against the rules, but refs let them go because that would mean doing their job.

 

[Pierced7681]

I appreciate you guys answering my question.

what happened is originally refs were using the “headphones” rule for back of the head shots, but then they started going with the “Mohawk” rule which has a lot more leeway.