Joe Rogan Pleads With Dana White to Stop Controversial Eye Poke Incidents With One Special Request

Eye pokes are becoming a common issue in MMA these days but Joe Rogan seems to have a solution. At the recent UFC Fight Night 235, Aliaskhab Khizriev eye-poked Makhmud Muradov with the very first strike he threw, and the bout was called off as no contest. In the aftermath of the incident, Rogan recommended a change in UFC gear that could curtail the issue.

The JRE host endorsed a special type of gloves curated by the prominent MMA coach Trevor Wittman that can address this issue. Apart from training fighters like Kamaru Usman and Justin Gaethje, Wittman also curates MMA gloves that are uniquely shaped. So how are they different?

Joe Rogan endorses Trevor Wittman’s gloves

Joe Rogan was first exposed to the gloves made by Wittman in 2020 when he made an appearance on the JRE Podcast. Since then, he has been awestruck by the fabric and the unique design. Not to mention, his gloves make it difficult for one to use fingers as it wraps over them. Hence, it is a possibility that while using his gloves, the chances of eye pokes in bouts by fighters are reduced.

In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan podcast, he said,

Rogan’s discussion makes all the more sense considering the highly anticipated Khizriev vs. Muradov fight only had 11 seconds of action before it was halted for the eye poke and eventually called off.

In the same discussion, Rogan revealed that the UFC was in communication with Wittman to implement his gloves in the UFC. However, they could not come to an agreement. Further, this has not been the only instance the commentator has promulgated his gloves and compared them with the ones used by UFC.

Rogan draws a comparison between UFC gloves and Wittman’s gloves

The gloves made by Wittman are similar to the gloves used by the vintage MMA organization, Pride. Unlike UFC gloves, they covered fingers a lot more, had more padding, and most importantly, were designed to prevent injuries. Many fighters use these type of gloves in their training set-up and Rogan thinks it is superior and safer to the regular UFC gloves.

Reflecting on the same, while speaking to Rashad Evans, former MMA fighter and analyst, he stated, “That’s way better. Like, the old pride gloves. Good padding too. I like them a lot. It’s better than the ones UFC is using right now.” Moreover, the fighters wearing these gloves need not force their fists to be closed as it does it by itself. Safe to say, these gloves do sound very prolific.

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However, it would be ideal if the UFC allowed fighters to wear it for better protection and to reduce eye pokes. if implemented, do you think it will have a positive impact? Share with us your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

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