LAS VEGAS – The dangers of oblique kicks have finally gotten on the radar of the commissions.
At UFC 331 this past Saturday from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Edmen Shahbazyan complained to referee Mike Beltran about his opponent, Brunno Ferreira, throwing side kicks to his knee, a technique that's legal.
During a California State Athletic Commission debrief earlier this week, executive director Andy Foster discussed the possibility of banning oblique kicks, which were the cause of Michael Page sending opponent Nursulton Ruziboev to the hospital for knee surgery after defeating him at UFC Fight Night 287 in Paris.
Foster also wants to discuss making lateral knee kicks a foul and also wants to hold discussions with medical professionals and determine
whether a specific peptide that heals cuts and are not performance-enhancing be made legal.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 20, 2026
White was asked about the potential oblique kicks being a foul in MMA fights.
"Listen, he is the most powerful guy in the commission," White told MMA Junkie and other reporters of Foster. "Anywhere in the world, he's the best. And yeah, we don't disagree."
Other notable UFC fighters notorious for that technique are Jon Jones, Ian Machado Garry, Khalil Rountree Jr., and Robert Whittaker.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dana White responds to talk of controversial MMA strike being banned
