UFC commentator Joe Rogan has shifted his position on controversial striking techniques in mixed martial arts, now supporting a ban on oblique kicks while maintaining that certain other contentious strikes should remain legal. The discussion came during his recent podcast with heavyweight Sean Sharaf, who had just scored one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
Sharaf appeared on the podcast fresh off his stunning 12-second knockout victory over Olympic gold medalist Gable Stevenson at UFC 315. He entered his training camp fully prepared for the oblique kicks.
“My whole camp I trained for him to crawl towards me like Jones does,” Sharaf explained. “I got down in the same position on my knees to crawl towards him because that’s what I’ve been practicing my whole camp.”
The oblique kick is a straight kick targeting the knee joint and has become increasingly controversial in combat sports. The technique gained prominence through Jones, who has used it effectively throughout his career. However, several high-profile injuries have sparked debate about whether the strike should remain legal in competition.
When Rogan asked Sharaf his opinion on the technique, the UFC star initially defended it as part of combat.
“I think this is combat,” Sharaf said. “It’s a part of it. It’s unfortunate because it’s a career ender. But at the same time, it’s brawling. If this was a real brawl, that’s pretty realistic.”
Rogan then challenged that reasoning by drawing a parallel to eye pokes. “So are eye pokes,” he countered. “We don’t allow eye pokes because it creates permanent injury.”
He elaborated that in an actual street confrontation brawlers would absolutely target the eyes, but the sport has evolved beyond simply replicating street fighting.
The podcast host laid out his reasoning for why oblique kicks should be banned, citing the severe and lasting damage they cause.
“A blown out knee takes you out for a year. Not only does it take you out for a year, but your knee might never be the same again,” Rogan explained. He referenced specific examples, including Thiago Santos who had both knees reconstructed after competing against Jones, and Rampage Jackson who said his knee was never the same after their bout.
After hearing the evidence and arguments, Sharaf reconsidered his initial position. “That’s very true. You know, it’s a sport at the end of day, not a street brawl,” he acknowledged.
Rogan drew a clear distinction between submissions and strikes that target joints. “People say, ‘Well, you can heel hook.’ You could tap on a heel hook. You cannot tap for a sidekick to the knee,” he explained.
The commentator also revealed that both UFC leadership and prominent athletic commission figures support banning the technique.
“Andy Foster, I think, is one of the best without a doubt athletic commission directors from California. He thinks it should be banned. And the UFC thinks it should be banned,” Rogan disclosed.
What makes this position particularly noteworthy is that Rogan has historically advocated for fewer restrictions in MMA, not more. He has argued against standing athletes up when action slows and has questioned various rule changes over the years.
The debate about back-of-the-head strikes also came up during the podcast. The conversation referenced the recent Ciryl Gane versus Alex Pereira match, where controversial strikes to the back of the head became a talking point.
Pereira blamed referee Herb Dean for not stopping illegal blows, though Rogan noted the difficulty in making those calls during chaotic exchanges when fighters are moving.
“I watched it and I know that Pereira is blaming Herb Dean. The problem is he’s moving and it’s chaos,” Rogan said, distinguishing between intentional fouls and strikes that land illegally due to movement.
He contrasted this with the Tom Aspinall eye pokes against Gane that were clearly intentional. He noted, “The very egregious fouls, the eye pokes. Those are egregious. Those are just fingers out in the eyeballs. ”
Rogan’s position on back-of-the-head strikes has been permissive in the past. During a previous episode of his podcast with Jorge Masvidal, he questioned whether punches and other strikes landing in that area should be prohibited at all.
“I don’t even know if we should stop hitting people in the back of the head. It doesn’t seem to make any sense to me. Because a lot of knockouts like high kicks, they wrap around the back of the shoulder and they go right to the back of your head, and it’s legal. The guy gets KOd,” Rogan told Masvidal.
Rogan even pointed to a specific example involving Ciryl Gane and Junior Dos Santos to explain his reasoning.
“Like Ciryl Gane and Junior Dos Santos. (Gane) kind of hit him with an elbow in the back of the head. It’s like, it should be legal. I don’t understand why it’s not legal. And people say you’re more vulnerable there, don’t get [ ] hit there.”
