Dana White has a actuality verify for followers who suppose the UFC can remove eye pokes fully.
One of many fouls that the majority plagues the game of MMA is the attention poke. This foul not solely slowed down many video games, but additionally ended them prematurely. It has been an issue within the sport for years, and issues are not slowing down.
Showing on the Triggernometry podcast, White mentioned that whereas the UFC can attempt to cut back the variety of incidents, it will not remove them fully (h/t MMAFighting).
“We’re positively going to determine one thing out,” White mentioned. “It is like a nasty choice, a nasty refereeing name, and I imply, it is by no means going to go away. It is at all times going to be right here.
“I am not going to invent some shitty factor that nobody will ever discover ever once more. That is not going to occur.”
The newest instance of a struggle being ruined by a poke within the eye was the heavyweight title struggle between champion Tom Aspinall and Cyril Gane at UFC 321. Gane had success towards Aspinall early on, however he poked the champion within the eyes. Aspinall was unable to proceed and the match was dominated a no contest.
White believes the reply to decreasing eye pokes is whether or not competitors committees impose more durable penalties on gamers.
“It isn’t good for somebody to poke you within the eye,” White mentioned. “We tried to mess around with the gloves and all these items. I believe the large story is that if there have been harsher penalties for it, the gamers could be extra conscious.”
“I imply, you are throwing a punch and I am blocking your punch (with my palms and fingers outstretched) and somebody reaches out to catch one thing and the opposite individual comes ahead, and that occurs on a regular basis. It does not occur as a lot as you suppose. I do not bear in mind the numbers, nevertheless it’s like 100 or so eyes that stick out in 1000’s of fights.”
