With a dominant decision win over Xiaonan at the Kaseya Center, Virna Jandiroba all but punched her ticket to a strawweight title shot — but the victory came with a flash of controversy. In the final round, Xiaonan’s move didn’t go down well with Joe Rogan. Still, Jandiroba powered through the foul, dragged her opponent to the mat, and ended the fight in full control. But Joe Rogan is not stooping here.
Recently, the UFC commentator Joe Rogan advocated for significant changes to the rules and regulations of MMA. Specifically, after the curtains closed on UFC 314, Rogan called out the Chinese strawweight Yan Xiaonan for allegedly grabbing the fence during the fight, a move which could’ve altered the outcome of the bout. Rogan discussed her ‘fence-grabbing’ and said: “If it was just an immediate, automatic point deduction every time you grabbed the fence, there would be no more fence grabs. And eye pokes. It would all stop.” Highlighting the need for strict punishments, such as automatic point deduction in a moment like this.
However, just as the debate started to settle, we all moved on from these points and towards UFC 315 held in Quebec, UFC CEO and President Dana White was hit by a heavy blow from the Quebec Athletic Commission itself. In a picture posted by an MMA enthusiast, it was written, “Quebec Athlete commission will be utilising the unified rules of MMA for UFC 315 but with one notable exception: Foot stomps will not be permitted.”
Now, an alteration of this stature just one day before the event in question itself is a massive blow for the organization. In a moment like this, a majority of the MMA community is left wondering if it is indeed Joe Rogan’s vocal advocacy that is an influence behind this step.
During his discussion for new regulations in MMA, Rogan laid down various points where the sport can welcome new aspects. Lets read further to find out.
Rogan vs the rulebook: Joe Rogan’s quest for evolution in MMA
The stand-up comedian has been alongside the UFC for more than two decades now, and throughout his course here, Rogan has displayed his deep understanding of MMA in various moments. As an ambassador of the sport, Rogan dove deep into several other aspects while talking about the UFC 314 mishap by Xiaonan. It ranged from eliminating the octagon and replacing it with an open court to abolishing weight cutting, blurring the line between evolution and revolution of the sport.
Rogan’s first point highlights what transpired at UFC 314, as he talked about the elimination of the Octagon and introducing an open court, one like a basketball court with no fences to prevent the fighters from taking advantage of a boundary-like structure, as fighters even use it to increase grip. For his second point, the ‘JRE’ podcast host talked about the need to bring the continuation of ground positions between rounds. This means that if a fighter ends a round in ground control or mounted/back control, the next round will begin at the same position. Rogan believes this will encourage effective grappling in MMA and lead to less stalling between the fights.
One aspect that all MMA fans want in the fights they witness is a punishment for the fighter who commits a foul. Often, these scenarios are ignored by the judges and referees, leading to a massive disadvantage for the fighter subject to them. Rogan believes a stricter penalty system would bring an end to the fouls from happening in the first place. Regarding the judges, Rogan also emphasized the overhaul of the scoring system, which, with numerous blunders so far, has created a plethora of controversial decisions across UFC’s main events.
For his last proposal, Joe Rogan proposes the abolition of weight cutting, describing the act as “sanctioned cheating.” We see it every fight week: how many fighters struggle with their weight cuts. Rogan proposes that fighters compete at their natural weight, eliminating the risk factors of weight loss practices and increasing the chances of the fighters bringing their best to the octagon.
Whether Joe Rogan’s advocacy influenced the Quebec Athletic Commission to ban foot stomps at UFC 315 or not, it is hard to disagree with what the UFC legend has to say. MMA is still a relatively new sport, and before its big entry into the mainstream world, the UFC will want to present it professionally. Does Joe Rogan have a strong influence over the world of MMA? So much so that his words are altering commissions’ plans? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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