'Undefeated then, undefeated now': New rule changes could rewrite the history of the UFC forever

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The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts will soon change and have the potential to overturn UFC records that have long been a sore spot for one of the sport's legends.

The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports voted unanimously in a committee to make changes to the the infamous 12-to-6 elbow rule.

The committee included California State Athletic Commission Executive Director Andy Foster, Nevada Athletic Commission Executive Director Jeff Mullen, and veteran referees Herb Dean, John McCarthy, and Marc Goddard. Judges Derek Cleary and Sal D'Amato were also included, among others, Sherdog reported.

'Dana White we gotta get that loss out of the history books.'

The controversial rule was developed in the early days of mixed martial arts by a committee of which McCarthy was also a part of, with several other representatives of the sport at the time.

In 2016, McCarthy explained on "The Joe Rogan Experience" that the rule essentially came from the fear that a downward elbow strike was too dangerous, with one of the committee members citing seeing people break blocks of ice that way.

McCarthy said he was told that it wasn't worth the battle by his superior, and that he didn't press on in the fight against the rule.

The soon-to-be-defunct rule is as follows:

"The use of a linear 'straight up straight down' elbow strike is prohibited. Any variation of this straight up and down linear elbow strike makes the strike legal. Any arc, or any angle change from straight up to straight down makes the strike legal. Any variation of position does not alter the legality of the strike."

— (@)

This rule change could have significant effect on one of the greatest fighters of all time, Jon Jones. Jones' only loss on his 27-1 record came in a December 2009 first-round disqualification against Matt Hamill due to those illegal elbows

UFC President Dana White has long talked about trying to get the loss overturned.

"The guy's never lost a fight ever. That one loss on his record, we're trying to get that [overturned]," White said in 2019, per MMA Junkie. "It was at a time and a place in the Nevada State Athletic Commission when it was at its worst," he added,

Commentator Joe Rogan also called it "one of the dumbest rules in combat sports."

I’m in agreement with this 100%. The 12-6 elbow rule is one of the dumbest rules in combat sports. At the very least that fight should be a no contest. He was completely dominant.
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) June 25, 2019

Jones, now a heavyweight, responded to news of the rule change on his Instagram page and echoed sentiments White has long espoused.

"Undefeated then, undefeated now. Dana White we gotta get that loss out of the history books," he wrote, along with a picture that cemented the very second he suffered his only loss.

The definition of a grounded fighter was also changed by the committee. A consistent source of confusion for even the most seasoned athletes, a fighter was previously considered grounded if "any part of the body, other sole of the feet touching the fighting area floor."

The previous rule continued, "To be grounded, the palm of one hand (a flat palm) must be down, and/or any other body part must be touching the fighting area floor. A single knee, arm, (not fingers) makes the fighter grounded without having to have any other body part in touch with the fighting area floor. At this time, kicks or knees to the head will not be allowed."

The rule led to fighters desperately attempting to make contact with the floor with their hands, resulting in slow-motion replays to determine exactly when fighters' hands would come off the floor as they were getting hit in the head.

Arguments over the rule had been made for years, with fighters and fans alike asking for clarification or changes to the definition.

The new rule is much simpler, eliminating simple hand touches to the ground.

"A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground)."


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'It's not the same!' Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier feud reignites after Jones mocks Cormier's championship reign

'It's not the same!' Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier feud reignites after Jones mocks Cormier's championship reign

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A decade-old rivalry between UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former champion Daniel Cormier has sparked back up after Jones made light of Cormier's reign during Jones' absence from the division.

Jones was answering fan comments when he replied to a response regarding him possibly "holding up the [heavyweight] division."

Soon thereafter, Jones also replied to remarks about the UFC implementing an interim championship in his recent absence due to injury:

"UFC is a brilliant company, did what they had to do to save the event," Jones said. He then added a jab at Cormier's title reign implying that the now-retired fighter wasn't actually the real champion.

"I do agree with you," he told the fan. "It definitely confused a bunch of UK fans," he said in reference to English fighter and interim champion Tom Aspinall.

"[It] got them entitled thinking their boy really is the champion. It reminds me of when DC was the 'champion' during my absence."

'It's not the same, while it may seem the same. [Jones] was incapable of competing when I was the champion. He was not allowed to compete.'

UFC is a brilliant company, did what they had to do to save the event. But I do agree with you, it definitely confused a bunch of UK fans, got them entitled thinking their boy really is the champion. It reminds me of when DC was the \u201cchampion\u201d during my absence.
— (@)

Cormier reluctantly responded to Jones days later on his YouTube channel, insisting that the comparison between his time as champion and Aspinall's are not the same.

"It's not the same, while it may seem the same. [Jones] was incapable of competing when I was the champion. He was not allowed to compete, not due to injury, due to illegal substances found in his body, that's just the truth," Cormier explained.

"Whenever him and I were fighting and he kept getting in trouble, he could not go 'I'm back in the gym' and say 'I'm ready to fight,' you couldn't. It was illegal. That's where the situation varies, that's why the situation is different, and that's such a key component to the situations being different."

Cormier described Jones as a manipulator who is very good at "slight of hand" and distracting fans from his real issues.

"Jones, it wasn't the same thing, bud. So, no matter how quickly you are, and the magician you are, at manipulating and saying this and the other, that’s not the case. It was different, you couldn't compete whenever I was fighting. You couldn't, you couldn't make that decision to go and fight. I was the champion, for a really long time actually, which is kind of crazy."

Daniel Cormier responds to Jon Jones dismissing his UFC title run:\n\n\u201cIt was [Jones] getting caught doing things he\u2019s not supposed to, and then getting stripped and taken out of the competition.\n\nIt\u2019s not the same [as Tom Aspinall]. [Jones] was incapable of competing when I was\u2026
— (@)

The rivalry dates back to the pair's first 2015 fight, where Jones defended the light-heavyweight belt against Cormier, and then beat him again in 2017.

During that time, Jones was stripped of the belt twice for alleged conduct and substance abuse violations and then had the second victory overturned due to the alleged use of a metabolite.

The back and forth antics led to Cormier holding the light-heavyweight title multiple times between 2015-2018, before vacating the belt — Dec. 2018 — after winning the heavyweight title earlier that year. Jones later retook the vacant light-heavyweight title, before winning the heavyweight title after Cormier's retirement from the division following two losses.

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UFC champ Jon Jones accused of death threat by drug tester, who is seen high-fiving him in video after alleged incident

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A bizarre drug-testing incident involving UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones resulted in the star releasing his own surveillance footage in attempt to counteract a developing media narrative.

Jones, the reigning UFC champion for the 225-pound division, was accused of issuing a death threat to a female employee of the UFC's drug testing partner Drug Free Sport International.

The champion denied the characterization of the events and even publicized surveillance footage that showed him high-fiving the drug tester after the alleged incident.

When the drug testers, known as Crystal and Jerome, arrived to test Jones, the athlete was cooperative at first, an Albuquerque police report revealed. The report was first obtained by Sportnet's Aaron Bronsteter.

After Jones allegedly went to provide a urine sample with Jerome, Crystal claimed that her coworker returned and appeared nervous, while also stating that Jones could not pee.

Crystal reportedly told the police officer that Jones seemed to be "tense and puffed up" and allegedly asked the drug testers if they had money because he was going to sue them.

It was then that the female drug tester said Jones picked up her phone and started recording himself saying he was going to sue them.

The officer stated in the report that he viewed the video, which reportedly showed Jones saying, "Here f**king Jerome and his girlfriend in my garage," before the video cut off.

Crystal also accused Jones of putting her phone in his pocket before refusing to give it back, saying, "Why you f**king people come so early, do you know what happens to people who come to my house, they end up dead."

The drug tester said Jones later agreed to take a urine test, and left her phone on the counter. At that point, she texted her boss to tell him that she was afraid. She also said she was too afraid to call her boss out of fear that it would upset Jones if he noticed.

She also told authorities that she told Jerome's girlfriend, who was sitting in a car parked in the driveway, to leave because Jones seemed upset about the car in his driveway.

The tester also said that she thought Jones might have been drunk.

The Albuquerque Police Department's Public Information Officer has provided me with an updated incident report after Jon Jones was interviewed by the investigating officer.\n\nThe officer added that the court process involving a summons will take some time.\n\nHere is the update:
— (@)

Jones would later take to Instagram to post his own statement, where he released video of himself and the alleged victim sharing a high five.

"I want to address reports about me allegedly threatening a drug tester’s life and taking a phone, I want to clarify that there is a video showing both drug testers leaving my home after the testing session, where we exchanged a high five and a hug," Jones wrote.

"Although I was frustrated with the unprofessionalism and used profanity out of frustration it ended friendly and amicably, nothing threatening at all. I was actually celebrating a friend’s birthday party at my home, and I believe it’s perfectly normal to celebrate in the comfort of my own home," he continued.

"I must say, this particular tester behaved quite unprofessionally and even breached standard protocol along with HIPAA laws. Throughout my 20 years of being subjected to drug tests, I have never encountered such an incident with a [drug testing] officer before."

Jones' allegation of a HIPAA violation appeared to be in reference to the drug tester admitting in her own statement that her coworker's girlfriend was present.

The responding police officer noted that when he spoke to Jones by phone, the UFC fighter said that he was hungover at the time of the incident, and he has accused Crystal of being a liar in the past.

Jones reportedly clarified that he referred to his home as a "dangerous environment" as he may be having a party if drug testers arrive too early.

Jones also reportedly confirmed that he did claim he would sue Jerome because he brought his girlfriend to Jones' home, and he did not know them.

He reportedly admitted to swearing at Crystal when she allegedly said the next drug test would be "her and her husband" doing the testing.

As for the alleged phone stealing, Jones said he picked up Crystal's phone after thinking it was his and simply placed it on the counter afterward.

Subsequent reports made by outlets — such as NBC News — that claimed Jones was arrested were later denied by the fighter through a statement issued on X.

"I wanted to address some misinformation that has been circulating this morning. I woke up to false reports that I had been arrested. I have not been arrested," Jones declared. "I must admit, it's disappointing to have to clarify these things again, but I understand that I may be an easy target given some of my past issues. [I]t's important to set the record straight and make sure the truth is told."

Hello everyone,\nI wanted to address some misinformation that has been circulating this morning . I woke up to false reports that I had been arrested . I have not been arrested. In fact, I am currently in Texas with my daughters at a volleyball tournament.\n\nI must admit, it's\u2026
— (@)

Jones has had a significant history with law-enforcement encounters and drug testers.

In 2015, he was stripped of his championship, which was light-heavyweight at the time, after an arrest for an alleged hit-and-run involving a pregnant woman.

In 2016, he was suspended over a drug test with former testing body USADA, while other rumors of wild stories of Jones attempting to avoid drug testers have circulated online for years.

The heavyweight was spotted on video at a comedy club in February 2024, as well, having a friendly exchange with a comedian who was on stage at the time.

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