Rule clarification question

Underground
1
  1. Are elbows to the back of the head legal standing?  (like the one Jones knocked down Bonnar with). I always thought they were but I could be wrong.

  2. Is it legal to punch to the side of the neck? standing? on the ground?

    For pro fights in the US.

    Thanks!
2

Ecko Unltd - 1. Are elbows to the back of the head legal standing?  (like the one Jones knocked down Bonnar with). I always thought they were but I could be wrong.

2. Is it legal to punch to the side of the neck? standing? on the ground?

For pro fights in the US.

Thanks!

My understanding:
1. Always illegal (if the opponent didn't move into it), ground/standing, fist/elbow/knee/leg.

2. not sure

3

 No elbows to the back of the head period.This does not include a strike "behind the ear"



Not allowed ) A two inch strip from the top of the head down the spinal column to the bottom of your back. 



Punches to the neck are allowed. 

4

It is against the rules to hit the back of the head with anby strike. Just like the groin. The side of the neck is fair game.

5

I remember Ken Shamrock coaching a TUF fighter (on camera) to punch his opponent in the side of the neck. I think it was Tait Fletcher. I assume it's legal.

6

CSAC back of the head diagram...

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/6690-CSAC_BackOfHead.jpg

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The Jones/Bonner elbow was textbook back of the head imo.  That being said, Jones delivered it with such speed, I doubt the ref could have seen the placement unless his eyes were already viewing the impact area and from a correct angle at that. 

8

 Thanks



I was aware the back of the head was illegal on the ground, but wasn't sure standing. Thanks for clearing that up



What is the rule about turning into a punch that lands on the back of the head?

9



Steve Mazzagatti gave a different example.  

10

Ecko Unltd -  

What is the rule about turning into a punch that lands on the back of the head?

If the person throwing the strike goes first, then the opponent turns his head and gets hit, then it was an incidental hit to the back of the head. So no warnings or broken rules.

11

"What is the rule about turning into a punch that lands on the back of the head?"

Just think of the back of the head the same way as the groin. A fighter should get time to recover from an accidental strike, or one that he turns into.

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"If the person throwing the strike goes first, then the opponent turns his head and gets hit, then it was an incidental hit to the back of the head. So no warnings or broken rules."


Sorry, that is not correct. A foul is a foul even if it was accidental. Think about head-butts, or knees to the head of a downed opponent. If it is intentional the fighter should be DQed. If un-intentional his opponent gets up to 5 minutes to recover from the foul.

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B_Goetz - I remember Ken Shamrock coaching a TUF fighter (on camera) to punch his opponent in the side of the neck. I think it was Tait Fletcher. I assume it's legal.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6hkcfm2hU

14

The elbow was perfectly legal. Its only illegal if it was directly aimed to the back of the head wich is literally impossible for him to do

Thats from the NSAC site

15

I remember Joe Jauzon saying that herb dean used the "headphone" description.

The scariest thing about the rules is actually reading them. The rules need a complete overhaul. I remember when Amir and CB fought in the finale and CB tapped once or twice, and i thought the rule was 3 taps. I looked at New Jersey's, California's, and Nevada's athletic commission websites and none of them had a real definition of a tapout. The amount of interpretation of the rules left open is ridiculous and needs to change.

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NAC 467.7962 Acts constituting fouls. (NRS 467.030) The following acts constitute fouls in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts:

........
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head.
.........


Says nothing about standing or on the ground ...