Marc Goddard Believes Oblique Kicks Aren’t A Problematic Tactic
Marc Goddard is adamant that oblique kicks should continue to be a legal strike in MMA.
The veteran MMA referee took to Twitter to give his stance on the oblique kicks future in the MMA.
“I understand the aesthetic & why people have a hard time with it – but this is MMA & it’s all dangerous! Heel hooks, knee bars, reaping etc all directly attack the knee. It’s never nice to see a fight end with injury but we need to get over what we are doing here!”
“It absolutely is an aesthetic! Of course the injury result from it can be catastrophic – but so is brain health, eyesight etc and these are ALL at risk,” Goddard added. “The statistics in which we see this technique employed are very low, even lower when looking at which ones end fights!”
Goddard believes that it is only the look of oblique kicks that make them so bad. Goddard has a point and it is relevant to the 12-6 elbows as well. Those elbows are illegal mostly because of how devastating and barbaric they look. Goddard proclaims that, like any move inside the octagon there is a counter for the oblique kick. Will the oblique kicks be a banned strike now because of how bad they look when being used? The most notorious fighter known for using them oblique kicks being Jon ‘Bones’ Jones.
The oblique kick has come under scrutiny after Khalil Rountree Jr.’s use of it in his win over Modestas Bukauskas at UFC Fight Night this past Saturday.
While many MMA fans and even fighters like Kelvin Gastelum believe they should be an illegal strike and no longer be able to use inside the octagon. Brodeskas took to social media to congratulate Rountree on his win, even still people are complaining about the strike that beat him.
The oblique kick like any other move inside the MMA is intended to harm the opponent and take him out of the fight. If the UFC bans the oblique kick, where does it stop?
Do you agree with Marc Goddard? Should the oblique kick remain legal?
