Knees/Kicks to head ban/Thoughts..

The UFC has a long standing ban on knees and kicks to the head of a downed opponent...was wondering the UG's thoughts on this rule (especially the green namers)...

I feel that this is a good rule and that knees and kicks to the head of a downed opponent has the health and safety of the fighter in its best interest. I've heard that Pride allows this and not elbows for a couple of reasons. They say that elbows just cut an opponent and cause major loss of blood and therefore make them illegal...meanwhile you're allowed to knee or kick your downed opponent in the head b/c (I could be wrong but I heard this somewhere) the impact of the blow has the ability that the elbow lacks to knock your opponent out.

While knees and kicks can knock an opponent out just like a punch, the impact is much stronger and has the ability to cause far more brain trauma than a punch. This rule, in my opinion, protects the fighters from long term (as well as instant) head trauma. I feel this is a good rule and has the fighters best interest at heart.

Just wondering your opinions on this ruling and how you guys feel about the possibility of permenant head trauma to the fighter. I understand the proponents feeling on this rule, I am one of them. But I'm more interested in the peoples' thoughts who oppose this rule and would like to see knees and kicks to a downed opponent reinstated...

Further more, I understand that people who would like to see this rule reversed would argue that it is more realistic to an actual fight and that it is essential to the theme of "reality" fighting, so I'm more interested in how the ones that would like to see this rule reversed feel about the increased chance of permenant head trauma in regards to the safety of the fighter.

Not a troll job here, and I'm definitaly not trying to start any sort of controversy, just interested in the professional fighter's opinion on this matter...

I hate turtles.

I hate turtles.

"I hate turtles."

I second that

I like the 4 point rule that Pride uses. If all 4 of the fighter's limbs are on the ground,no kicks/knees. Knees should be allowed IMO,I don't like soccer kicks period- cowardly move IMO.

Pride doesn't have a 4 point rule. Only when there is a big weight difference between the fighters and the smaller fighter opts not to allow 4 point attacks. Otherwise, they are perfectly legal.

"While knees and kicks can knock an opponent out just like a punch, the impact is much stronger and has the ability to cause far more brain trauma than a punch."

Any evidence to support this? No one has ever been seriously hurt by knees, kicks, stomps, or soccer kicks in Pride, K-1, or any other vale tudo matches for the past 15 years or however long sanctioned events have been going on.

I don't consider knees to the head of a downed opponent more dangerous than a good high kick or other standing strike. I think upkicks to a downed/kneeling opponent should be allowed (see Almeida v Lindland).

I think soccer kicks to the head are a bad idea.

It's not banned in the UFC because of fundamental differences between knees/kicks and elbows. It's all about the environment the fights happen in. A guy who is mashed up against the fence and takes a full dropping knee can get badly, badly hurt.