Side Cage clinching should not be scored until something significant happens

[Senzo Tanaka]

If nothing happens in the round but that, who won though? Even though it's boring, the fighter doing the holding is winning the control and grappling. I would score it but I would only give them maybe 30s to a minute to make something happen. Also, if ANY damage happens in the round, that should negate the holding.

For instance, if Usman holds Masvidal against the cage for 4 minutes and does nothing but foot stomps but Masvidal lands one clean punch, I'm giving the round to Mas. Damage should matter more.

 

[pankrat]

then Volk would not win a single fight... Volk literally is the only fighter i know that throws his kicks like a weak jab just to score points... they dont even affect the fighters movements at all... he does not even turn his hip into it.. he just throws it out there to be like "look i have 300 strikes landed so i won the fight" even though he has 280 leg kicks vs his opponent who landed 150 head strikes....

Jake Shields used to do exactly that.
Some of the Ws in his record that are daily praised in Sherdog are largely due to it. Respect to Shields but just saying

 

[pankrat]

Any form of stalling should not be rewarded. It's simple.

How did you earn that double yellow?

 

[Greta Thunberg]

you are correct, he wasn’t stalling .. The technical Foot stomp striking Of Usman prevented the ref from breaking up the riveting display of wall hugging.

Maybe Masvidal should've prevented something...

 

[Bluehefner]

Clinching somebody to the cage should be broken up by the ref after about 30-45 seconds. This shit shouldn’t be allowed anymore. It’s an awful, awful way of winning. If they can’t take them down and ground and pound or put them in submission and they are content with just holding against the cage, break em up.

 

[Bluehefner]

How did you earn that double yellow?

I got that double girth.

 

[Captain Herb]

If 2 fights are pressed up against the side of the cage, and both are throwing little footsie stomps and shoulder bumps, and nothing significant is being attempt like a takedown, a sub attempt, or even a significant strike, that entire portion of the round should be scored as a draw or should not be scored at all.

I dont see how that is more advantageous for the initiating fighter when he cant do anything because the moment he tries to throw a significant strike or go for a takedown he will lose the position....thats not a area that should be scored for either fighter unless one of those things i mentioned above happens.

Using example from last night Masvidal vs Usman

Usman had Masvidal pressed up the cage in the 2nd round for about 4 minutes...throwing nothing but shoulder bumps and foot stomps....after the clinch broke up, Masvidal threw like 5-10 strikes in a rapid fire burst before the round ended... that round should be scored for Masvidal.... nothing else significant happened....the clinch is not a dominant position the way that Usman was using it, im not talking about Mui Thai plums and judo throws, none of that was even attempt....if a fighter wants to stall against the cage because he is playing the point game, that should be much harder to do then it is now.

again, im not talking about wrestling, im not talking about bjj, im simply talking about the stalling position that Masvidal and Usman were in pressed up against the cage doing literally nothing, that needs to be separated a lot sooner and it should not count for almost any points if any at all as its not an advantageous position that generated any offense.

Under the unified rules, just controlling someone during the fight only counts in the absence of any other offense.

 

[Young Joe]

How did you earn that double yellow?

I said dana is a fucking white pig, trying to say that he is bald. Then mod came in and said "you are a racist so Im givin you a double yellow card". Thats how I got yellos.

 

[pankrat]

I said dana is a fucking white pig, trying to say that he is bald. Then mod came in and said "you are a racist so Im givin you a double yellow card". Thats how I got yellos.

LOL
Dana resembles a white wale - or beluga if you prefer - rather than a pig but yeah, undeserved yellows imo

 

[Young Joe]

LOL
Dana resembles a white wale - or beluga if you prefer - rather than a pig but yeah, undeserved yellows imo

Yeah I'm unhappy with this yellows too but if I talk more about it I'm afraid that he comes again and perm. ban me so let's stop this topic right here lmao

 

[Thepaintbucket]

It's pretty much Greg Jackson all over again with the minimalist approach to winning. Basically control the fight while doing as little as possible but just enough to prevent the ref from intervening.

I can't hate a fighter for doing it as it is a part of the rules but I sure as hell won't be spending money to encourage it.

 

[Gamboal]

I agree, the rules need a small change to result in a huge benefit to the sport.

Wall and stall should be broken up if no significant damage or movement is taking place after 10-15 secs. Judges should not score inactive wall and stall.

With Usman it would even benefit him. A 170lb slab of pure muscle being forced to actually fight or wrestle meaningfully instead of trying to just hold and tame his opponent.

 

[Gamboal]

Usman would have won that fight under any scoring criteria we’ve ever had in MMA. Now you guys want to invent a whole new set of rules in order the invent some alternate universe where Masvidal won that fight? Usman’s fights may be boring, but the ensuing butthurt is hilarious.

Dont be a dumb ass. He'd lose a striking contest hard.

He tried standing a bit with Masvidal first round and ate kicks to the gut and got tagged multiple times to the head. Got a little worried and thought 'let's revert to type as I'm not winning the stand up' in round 2.

This is not about Masvidal, it's about the health of the sport. Your ungrateful ass would benefit, regardless of whether you have a boner for Usman's muscular body or not.

 

[kibz]

Honestly I hate the fighting style but I can’t help but respect it.
If a fighter says “I can hold you here as long as I want, rack up points, and you can’t do shit about it but accept it until I feel like letting you out the position” and the opponent can’t get out of it, that’s on him....

 

[Emjay]

Under the unified rules, just controlling someone during the fight only counts in the absence of any other offense.

And you have to have this or else every fight where a fighter did this would be a draw.

 

[blaseblah]

It already works that way. Usman outstruck Masvidal in those rounds.

 

[Cpt Migraine]

It is unbelievable that Masvidal is less mad about the way he lost than people watching

Not really..

Solving a crossword puzzle can be kind of fun.. watching a guy doing it on the other hand..

 

[tmtmma2020]

For wall and stall elbows to the back of the head should be allowed

 

[Booksmasher]

Honestly I hate the fighting style but I can’t help but respect it.
If a fighter says “I can hold you here as long as I want, rack up points, and you can’t do shit about it but accept it until I feel like letting you out the position” and the opponent can’t get out of it, that’s on him....

There should not be points rewarded for this nonsense. Youre describing Usman as this super dominant guy but in fact he lacks control over Masvidal. Because he doesnt have control over him he could not take him down and keep him down (let alone Gnp or Submit).

 

[Coconutwater]

I dunno...

Wall and stall seems to effectively remove a lot of your opponents offense while DRAINING them of some of their gas tank. It works, we've seen it.

It may be boring but we shouldn't penalize the fighter for implementing their will. Blame if anything, should be placed on the fighter STUCK to the wall.