Tag: UFC Fight Night 246

New unified rules to make UFC debut in Edmonton with now-legal 12-6 elbows, grounded opponent changes

The UFC event in Edmonton will feature two additions to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts that were approved this past summer.

The new rule changes approved by the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combat Sports (ABC) this past summer will be used at a UFC event for the first time Saturday.

Edmonton Combative Sports Commission executive director Forrest Gavins confirmed Tuesday to MMA Junkie the rules will be in place for UFC Fight Night 246, which takes place at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The new rules, as highlighted in a bulletin published by ABC president Mike Mazzulli, are as follows:

  1. Kneeing and/or Kicking the head of a grounded opponent:
    A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground).
  2. Removal of the downward pointing elbow strike (12 to 6) as a foul.

The rules were voted in during the Annual ABC Conference in July with a start date of Nov. 1. Given that Saturday’s event is Nov. 2, it marks the first opportunity for them to be put in place.

Each individual commission must vote the new rules into its own bylaws, though many have already laid the ground work to do so – including Nevada who approved them Tuesday during a monthly meeting.

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) recently posted a informational PSA video for fighters, coaches, promoters, and the general public about what exactly these rule changes mean.

https://twitter.com/_CSAC/status/1841146058145218885

The changes to the grounded opponent rule were made in an effort to clear up any gray areas as to when it’s fair for a fighter to be struck. It also is to eliminate any “games” that may be played by the defensive fighter putting his hand up and down on the canvas to purposely cause confusion and potentially draw a foul.

The 12-to-6 elbow rule has long been one of the most controversial in MMA. Initially thought to be a more dangerous strike than an angled elbow, many experts have since deemed the damage potential to be the same. As a result, the strike will be legalized for the first time since the Unified Rules were implemented in 2001.

Famously, the only loss of UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones came by disqualification due to this strike, furthering it as a point of criticism for promotion CEO Dana White, fans, media, and commission members.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

Jasmine Jasudavicius eager to capitalize on UFC Fight Night 246 opportunity given short window

At 35, Jasmine Jasudavicius is eager to get to UFC gold ASAP.

[autotag]Jasmine Jasudavicius[/autotag] may not have hit her peak yet, but she’s looking to get to the top as soon as possible.

Although she’s only seven fights into her UFC career with a total of 14 pro bouts, Jasudavicius (11-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is 35 and knows she can’t fight forever. A few stumbles could set her back into an impossible timeline.

“This is my time. I understand my window is short. I’m older,” she told MMA Junkie Radio. “I know I’m not going to have a long career, a 10-year, 20-year career in the UFC. So I know my window is short and I’m here to make the best of it.”

Jasudavicius returns Saturday at UFC Fight Night 246 as she battles fellow promotion-ranked flyweight Ariane da Silva (17-9 MMA, 6-6 UFC). The event takes place at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

While she thinks her skills are already title challenger-ready, it’s just a matter of getting repetitions in and proving herself to the UFC. Saturday’s bout is the next step in doing that.

“I know my skill set is there, but it’s just the opportunities,” Jasudavicius said. “I’ve got to wait for them to line up. Hopefully soon. … A title shot is a title shot, but also any loss that I’ve ever had, I’d love to obviously avenge that. If one of them ever owned a title, then I’d love to take it from them. It’d be kind of the dream. But other than that, whoever has a title, that’s who I want to get matched up with.”

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A proud Ontarian, Jasudavicius is excited to represent Canada three provinces away. She’s one of eight home country fighters competing on the card.

“I can see martial arts growing just around,” Jasudavicius said. “There are so many more people just in the gym than there was even a year ago. It’s growing exponentially. I understand that I’m one of the people kind of putting themselves out there in front of everyone, presenting martial arts. I am grateful that people can get inspired and I can be part of the growth of martial arts.

“It’s a wonderful journey and everyone should at least try martial arts for a little bit regardless of if they fight or not. But I think it’s so good it’s growing and it’s growing exponentially in Canada.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

 

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Topuria, Chimaev and the stars of UFC 308, White’s beef with Ngannou, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel dives into UFC 308’s fallout, the Dana White-Francis Ngannou beef and much more – LIVE.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • There was no shortage of storylines to come out of UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The biggest came in the main event, when featherweight champ Ilia Topuria backed up his prediction that he’d be the first to knock out Max Holloway. We’ll discuss Topuria’s huge win and what it means for his Fighter of the Year consideration. Plus, what should happen next for Holloway?
  • In the co-main event at UFC 308, Khamzat Chimaev obliterated former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker with such ease – and broke his jaw – that it’s hard to imagine the UFC sticking with its plan for Sean Strickland to challenge Dricus Du Plessis next. So what do we think will happen at 185 pounds now that there is a true clear top contender in the wings who hasn’t yet fought for the belt?
  • We may have seen another top contender fall into place with Magomed Ankalaev kept rolling at light heavyweight. We’ll look at his big win, the highlight-reel finishes of Shara Magomedov and Ibo Aslan and more results from Etihad Arena.
  • The war of words between UFC CEO Dana White and former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou continued when White gave MMA Junkie an earful about why he never liked Ngannou and why he’s glad he left the company – and that he didn’t want to fight champ Jon Jones. White made sure to take a shot at the PFL, Ngannou’s new home, while he was at it. We’ll break down the beef.
  • Flyweights are at the top of the bill this week when the UFC touches down in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for UFC Fight Night 246. We’ll look at the Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi headliner, the co-main event between Erin Blanchfield and former champ Rose Namajunas, Derrick Lewis’ return and more.

Pedro Munhoz: Dominick Cruz being in UFC’s bantamweight rankings is ‘bullish*t’

Pedro Munhoz thinks Dominick Cruz has no business being in the UFC’s bantamweight rankings.

[autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] has no business being in the UFC’s bantamweight rankings.

Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to Marlon Vera in August 2022. Prior to that, he defeated Munhoz by unanimous decision at UFC 269 in December 2021.

Munhoz (20-9-2 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC) has fought four times since losing to Cruz, and thinks the former bantamweight champion’s inactivity should result in him being removed from the rankings. Cruz is not currently booked for a fight.

“Yeah, that’s a little bit bullsh*t, the ranking situation,” Munhoz told Middle Easy. “Right after my fight against Kyler Phillips, I think I was No. 12. Then I fought him, they moved me to (No.) 13, 14, 15, and then eventually out of the rankings, but I’ve kept active all this time. Good for (Cruz), but that kind of stuff just shows me that it’s a bunch of bullsh*t. I don’t know who runs that, but it’s just bullsh*t. (Rob) Font has the same amount of defeats that I have. I beat him a few years ago, and he’s (No. 10).

“I think he has the same amount of losses that I have in the UFC. We fought basically almost the same guys, and when we fought, I beat him. I’ve thought about those things before. Like, why are these guys in the rankings? Why are these guys not so active and still in the rankings? This guy here I beat, he’s in the rankings and I’m not, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m very glad that the UFC wanted to keep me, wanted to keep re-signing me and give me fights. It’s something that I like to do, I love to do.”

Munhoz will look to snap a two-fight losing skid when he faces Aiemann Zahabi Nov. 2 at UFC Fight Night 246 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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