“You’re gonna get demolished!” Michael Bisping GOES OFF on ‘stupid’ grounded opponent rule

Former UFC champion Michael Bisping highlighted his strong opposition to the grounded opponent rule in MMA. The regulation imposes limits when hitting a fighter with any part other than their feet on the canvas. This rule has been a source of disagreement in the MMA world.

Bisping has a history of frankly speaking on his ideas. He commented on the rule. He emphasized the impracticality of leaning on the ground in an actual fight. According to him, in real combat, a fighter would become exposed to blows, kicks, and knees, making the ground position a disadvantage rather than an advantage. This is what he said:

Nobody in their right mind, in a real fight… is gonna lean on the ground. Because in a fight situation, you’re gonna get cracked, you’re gonna get punched, kicked, kneed. You’re gonna get demolished.

Michael Bisping via YouTube

Michael Bisping retired from professional MMA in 2018. He remains a significant personality in the sport, frequently offering his opinions on different platforms, including his YouTube channel. His clear comments and analysis engage with fans.

Bisping’s viewpoint echoes a sentiment shared by many athletes and fight fans. They believe the regulation is contradictory and, in some instances, impedes the flow of the fight. The grounded opponent rule was recently highlighted in the fight between Nassourdine Imavov and Roman Dolidze.

His perspective on the grounded opponent rule contributes to the continuing discussion about how to improve the ruleset. This is necessary to assure both fighter safety and an interesting spectator experience.

Steps taken to change the grounded opponent rule change in MMA

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) advocates substantially revising UFC/MMA’s grounded opponent rule. The goal of this is to simplify the criteria and eliminate misunderstandings. Andy Foster is the head of CSAC. He stated that the commission intends to eliminate using hands in judging a grounded fighter.

According to the current MMA unified rules, a grounded fighter is someone who has any part of their body contacting the combat area floor, with the exception of a single hand and the soles of their feet. Foster’s idea involves eliminating the usage of hands entirely in this computation. This is what he said:

We’re going to get rid of the hand. That’s my proposal. We’re going to get rid of it. If you want to be down, you need to put something else down. Knee, back, anything. Anything other than — you can’t be standing up, putting your hand on the ground. It’s caused too much confusion.”

Andy Foster via The MMA Hour

Foster cited cases in which fighters purposely put themselves in danger, relying on their grounded state to protect them. The proposed rule change intends to make the fighting and refereeing environments more straightforward and safe. Earlier this year, the fight between Movsar Evloev and Arnold Allen also highlighted the need for this rule to change. Michael Bisping’s take on this rule is sure to get the move on faster on this issue.

In case you missed it:

• “I have fight…” Islam Makhachev gives HUGE update on return to octagon and training
• “Generational fumble” – UFC beauty Tracy Cortez’s STUNNING bikini image has fans drooling on the internet

Stay Updated!

Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.

Subscribe NOW