The upcoming UFC 302 lightweight title bout between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier will showcase the debut of the new UFC Official Fight Gloves in a championship bout. UFC CEO Dana White unveiled the revamped gloves during UFC 300.
He stated: “This redesign will truly be a game changer for the entire sport of MMA. These gloves will feel lighter, fit fighters’ hands better, prevent injuries, and provide maximum flexibility during the fights.”
Islam Makhachev has expressed concerns that the new glove design might lead to unintended consequences. In a recent interview, the Dagestani lightweight champion pointed out differences between the new and old gloves. He suggested that the new design might result in contenders getting cut more often.
The UFC and Dana White have faced numerous calls to update the glove design, with demands coming from various influential figures in the sport. This also includes UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
On his podcast ‘the Joe Rogan Experience’, Rogan advocated for the promotion to adopt a glove designed by renowned MMA coach Trevor Wittman. Rogan emphasized, “Somewhere out there in UFC land, listen to me, please, they are the best gloves.”
While the UFC did not adopt Wittman’s designs, they did modify their existing gloves to address common issues like eye pokes and the inability to close fists properly.
Despite these changes, Makhachev foresees new challenges with the redesigned gloves. In a recent video shared on Instagram by Red Corner MMA, he commented: “They (new gloves) are very stiff, as I told you, they will cause more cuts as the previous UFC gloves were softer.
He said that the stiffness may be caused by the new gloves as it prevented fighters from being able to “fully open your hand just to make sure the fingers don’t extend straight forward.” But this might come at the expense of more injuries being received in the match.
In contrast, Dustin Poirier shared a more favorable view of the new gloves in an interview on The MMA Hour. Having tested the new gloves, Poirier expressed his support for Dana White’s decision to implement the redesign.
Poirier stated: “I like them. They’re a lot easier to make a closed fist.”
Poirier explained that the old gloves were flat. This made it difficult to form a fist and caused strain as blood filled the forearm, leading to more fatigue. He believes the new design addresses this issue, allowing for a more natural fist formation.
