'I'm a big fan of the [new] ruleset'… Fighters competing at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi react to the new rules debuting this weekend
10/31/2024 05:14 AM
The UFC returns to Edmonton, Canada, this weekend for a solid Fight Night card packed with local talent; but it's also the first fight card that will implement two major changes to the rulebook.
The two new UFC rules set to be introduced at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi involve strikes to the head of a grounded opponent and the infamous 12-to-6 elbow – but what do the fighters involved in this weekend's card make of the new changes?
Two new rules are set to be introduced at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi
If you needed a quick recap, two new rule changes are set to be enforced this weekend; first, what's considered to be a 'grounded' opponent will change, and second, the 12-to-6 elbow will now be a viable strike.
As per the California State Athletic Commission, "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 contract with the canvas (ground)."
The 12-to-6 elbow, which is also known as the 'North-South elbow', is "now legal for combatants to use as a striking technique" as long as it's not to the back of the head of an opponent.
UFC Fight Night athletes react to their event being the first with new ruleset
The two new rule changes are set to be introduced on November 1, which means that fighters competing at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi in Canada on November 2 will be amongst the first group of athletes to experience them in the octagon.
Throughout the course of media day, some athletes claimed that the new rule changes won't impact how they fight, whilst others have been preparing for UFC Edmonton with the new guidelines in mind.
Derrick Lewis jokes that he "can't even turn my arm that far to make it a 12-6, so it doesn't matter to me," as he later noted that "as long as I don't get hit by it, that's all good."
Canada's own Mike Mallott stated, "The knees to the head is probably the biggest one but dude, it's a fight in a cage – I'm not overthinking it as far as each individual rule though."
The same sentiment was expressed by the two athletes competing in the main event of the evening, with Amir Albazi sharing how he'll have one eye on Brandon Moreno's knees in the clinch.
"The 12-to-6 elbows, but it's not that much of a difference – for people that fight, it's going to be easy to work around it, but I'll definitely have my eye on it, especially the downed opponent. Hopefully, if that opportunity presents itself then I'll take it."
Moreno himself admitted that "I've never been a guy to play with those rules in the gym or my fights, [so] that doesn't bother me; but Amir is a good grappler and if he gives me the opportunity to hit him in the face with a knee, I will."
"I like the 12-to-6 elbows," noted Erin Blanchfield, explaining, "I think that's something that people would accidentally throw so it's just one less thing for the fighters to think about and the grounded opponent, it makes things much more clear."
Blanchfield faces former champion Rose Namajunas in the co-main event, who has also been thinking about how to mix the new rules into her gameplan.
"One situation I've thought about is those front-headlock positions because that's where people tend to stand up, but with these rules, they wouldn't necessarily be downed anymore – that's something I've thought about."
Yet there's a clear divide between those fighters who have predominantly ignored the new changes in training, compared to those who have been actively implementing them in preparation for November 2.
Jasmine Jasudavicius said "I am a big fan of the ruleset being changed to that and I've definitely been implementing it [in training]," with veteran Pedro Munhoz reiterating that "Yeah, we've been training some of that [for] the new rules."
Popular bantamweight and Munhoz's opponent Aiemann Zahabi has also been thinking of ways he can make the most of these new rules: "Because I knew the rule changes were happening for this fight; I was trying to implement it in my practice."
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi goes down this weekend – live from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada.
