MMA vs NHB... rules...

[DocAltie]

The Ultimate Fighting Championships started as a NHB (No Holds Barred) tourney and developed from there. SEG kept it as close to NHB as long as they could and still make money. Bottom line is no "professional" sport can be taken seriously without support from athletic commisions and sports governing bodies.

Thus the shift from "NHB fighting" to MMA. Gradually more and more rules were put in place to make the fighting more acceptable. After that it was just a matter of time, marketing and money for the sport to get where it is today.

Personally I think elbows are good and bad:

Good: They are a valid form of striking used in many other fighting systems.
Bad: Too easy for an average fighter to change the course of a match.

As Tito says... learn to defend them. I agree, but I also think fighters get away with using elbows to make up for their lack of skillset. So in all honestly, I think elbows should be banned. Let the fighters fight, not cut each other. Poor glove design does enough of that without elbows.

Personally I think 4-point striking is good and bad:

Good: It does not allow a fighter to lay in the guard. It requires fighters to be active and promotes striking.

Bad: Soccer-kicks to the head have no place in MMA. Stomps to the head have no place in MMA.

I think without a doubt, 4-point striking should be allowed minus stomps and soccer-kicks to the head. It keeps the action high. It keeps fighters fighting. If you want a fighter to no stall, let someone drop some knees on him. Either he will move and get better position or the match will be stopped.

Overall, elbows, stomps and soccer style kicks to the head are all techniques for the NHB crowd. MMA means Mixed Martial Arts, not No Holds Barred. I enjoy the old UFC's as much as the next fight fan, but this is no longer a cage fight. It is a true art / sport.

[EvilScott]

You really don't give a valid reason for disallowing soccer kicks to the head, and I disagree with you assertion that elbows allow mediocre fighters an unfair advantage. You have to defend elbows just like you have to defend knees or leg kicks - they're there and if you don't defend them its your own damn fault.

[nok_u_out]

true dat- i'm with evilscott

[Mr. MC Hammer]

evilscott quoted for truth, and perhaps president

[swade1]

if you can elbow a fighter in the face then why shouldn't you be able to kick them also

[Bullitt68]

I would prefer stomps and soccer kicks over elbows because of the cuts, but the fact that there are elbows allows no more an advantage than the allowance of four-point attacks.

Learn the rules under which you fight or fight somewhere else.

[nhbfan8080]

I prefer banning elbows instead of banning knees/kicks to grounded opponents.

I've said many times that normal punches are still possible instead of delivering elbow strikes but knees/kicks are the only option in variations of the front headlock position.