Dana White supports Andy Foster’s push to ban oblique kicks in MMA

Dana White has thrown his support behind California State Athletic Commission Director Andy Foster's proposal to ban oblique kicks from mixed martial arts competition.

The push for regulatory change emerged after UFC 331 in Los Angeles, where middleweight preliminary fighter Edmen Shahbazyan voiced complaints about opponent Brunno Ferreira's use of lateral knee kicks during their bout. Although such kicks remain legal under current Unified Rules of MMA, Shahbazyan's objections highlighted growing concern about the technique's safety implications.

Foster, who heads the California State Athletic Commission, publicly stated his intention to modify the Unified Rules to prohibit lateral knee kicks. When asked about the proposal, White offered unequivocal backing. "He's the most powerful guy in the commission anywhere in the world, and he's the best," White told media at a recent Contender Series taping. "And we don't disagree."

The oblique kick gained prominence through Jon Jones' use of the technique during his light heavyweight championship tenure and has since been adopted by multiple fighters on the roster. The potential dangers of the move were starkly illustrated at UFC Vegas 36, when Khalil Rountree Jr. finished Modestas Bukauskas with an oblique kick that caused severe knee damage, sidelining Bukauskas for 14 months. Such injuries have fueled safety arguments among commission officials and promotion leadership alike, suggesting momentum may be building toward a formal rules change across the sport.