Did Islam Makhachev's dominant victory at UFC 322 leave you feeling exhilarated or... slightly bored? A UFC legend is using Makhachev's performance to fuel a fiery debate about the very rules of MMA, and you might be surprised at who's leading the charge.
Makhachev's recent win at UFC 322 was undeniably a statement. The Dagestani superstar, already a dominant force as lightweight champion, seamlessly transitioned to welterweight, securing a decisive victory over Jack Della Maddalena at the iconic Madison Square Garden. The scorecards reflected Makhachev's control, with all three judges awarding him a clean sweep of 50-45. He racked up over 18 minutes of control time, a testament to his grappling prowess.
While many lauded Makhachev's display of skill and strategic dominance, a vocal minority, including a prominent UFC figure, believes it exposed a fundamental flaw in the rules governing ground control. But here's where it gets controversial... Is it truly dominance if it lacks exciting, fight-ending attempts?
*LATEST NEWS: Fresh off his UFC 322 win, Makhachev has his sights set on another prize: Max Holloway's BMF title. He's made it clear that capturing that belt is part of his 'absolute goal.'
Chael Sonnen, never one to shy away from a contentious opinion, is calling for a change in how grappling standups are handled. He argues that Makhachev's victory, while technically sound, highlighted a potential "gaming of the system." Makhachev isn't alone in facing this criticism. Khamzat Chimaev also received similar feedback after his victory over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, where his wrestling-heavy approach drew some boos.
Sonnen elaborated on his stance during an episode of his "Good Guy/Bad Guy" show with Daniel Cormier. He acknowledges that the current rules allow referees to stand fighters up if they aren't actively improving their position on the ground. However, he believes the definition of "advancing positions" needs re-evaluation. "I felt as though there was a bit of a gaming of the system," Sonnen stated. "The system does say that if you get to an advanced position on the ground such as half-guard, or more specifically side control, that you’re gonna be left alone to work from there."
Sonnen suggests that simply maintaining a dominant position like side control shouldn't be enough to prevent a standup. "I just think we might want to really take a look at what happened Saturday, not just in the main event but also with our co-main. It was the same position on rinse and repeat. As a viewer, that is not what we’ve been spoiled (with)," he explained. He even referenced a recent directive from referee Herb Dean to crack down on eye pokes, suggesting a similar focus should be given to the "side control business." And this is the part most people miss... Sonnen isn't necessarily saying Makhachev did anything wrong, but rather that the rules themselves need to be adjusted to encourage more dynamic ground fighting.
"The rule says you must be advancing positions towards a finish. We’ve all decided that a full mount, half-guard, or side control is a finished product. It’s not!" Sonnen declared, emphasizing the need for a discussion about revising these standards. "This might be something we want to look at sooner rather than later."
*LATEST NEWS: Daniel Cormier believes that a potentially overlooked contender could pose the most significant challenge to Islam Makhachev's reign. Could a fresh face be the key to unlocking Makhachev's dominance?
However, the debate doesn't end there. While Sonnen advocates for stricter standup criteria, another prominent voice in the UFC community holds a drastically different view.
Joe Rogan, the long-time UFC commentator, takes a more radical stance: he wants to eliminate standups altogether. Rogan has long been a vocal opponent of referees standing fighters up, arguing that it unfairly penalizes the fighter who secured the takedown. "When someone takes you down, you have to actually get up," Rogan proclaimed on his podcast, advocating for fighters to earn their way back to their feet.
Rogan even proposed a dramatic change to the scoring system: "I think at the end of a round, say if you got a guy mounted at the end of the round, you start the next round mounted on him. Because why would you give him the advantage of getting up when he never got up? You have to earn a get up. You have to stand up by yourself. No standups ever," Rogan added. This controversial idea would completely reshape the dynamics of MMA, rewarding sustained dominance on the ground.
So, where do you stand on this issue? Should the UFC adopt Sonnen's proposed changes to encourage more aggressive ground fighting, or would Rogan's complete abolition of standups be a better solution? Or is the current system perfectly fine as it is? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Perhaps you believe that pure grappling is a legitimate path to victory, or maybe you feel that stand-up exchanges are essential for maintaining the entertainment value of MMA. Let's hear your perspective!
