Dana White isn’t one to shy away from bold moves. This June, the UFC boss made waves by introducing newly designed gloves to tackle persistent issues like eye pokes and hand injuries. On paper, the move seemed revolutionary—a shield against the sport’s most nagging controversies. But as the months rolled on, cracks began to form.  Since their introduction, the new gloves dramatically altered the dynamics of the Octagon. Reports indicated that knockouts had dropped to a meager 22.9 percent, while decisions climbed by 11.5 percent.

As such, at UFC 309, the promotion and the UFC boss pivoted back to the old gloves design. But at UFC Tampa, keen-eyed viewers spotted something that gave them a pause. Inside the Octagon, the fighters were still using the ‘new’ gloves which were seemingly on their way out, raising the question, why did Dana White and the promotion switch gears for the final UFC event of 2024?

Ahead of UFC 309, Dana White had confessed, “There were a lot of complaints, we originally created these gloves to stop eye pokes and we had good intentions with them. They didn’t work out. People weren’t happy with them. So I actually made the decision. I called our chief operating officer, Lawrence (Epstein), and said, ‘I’m switching the gloves. I want the old gloves back.’ …Yes, the new gloves are now the old gloves.”

But while the card headlined by a bout between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic went off with the change, at UFC Tampa, things looked a bit different. In a post shared on X, Aaron Bronsteter pointed out, “Newly designed gloves for this event and four straight decisions. Smaller weight classes, but the trend continues.”

His statement, though factual, carried an undertone of skepticism and the post struck a nerve in the MMA sphere, opening the floodgates for opinions. One fan even suggested the UFC ditch gloves altogether and return to bare-knuckle combat.

Bronsteter, however, clarified the UFC’s glove strategy in a follow-up post. According to him, “They only went back for Fight Night events until they could manufacture more of the older gloves as they did not have enough to finish out the year. Last weekend’s event used the old gloves.”

Dana White’s decision to revert to the old gloves may have been a temporary fix, but it’s clear the UFC hasn’t found its perfect fit. While Jon Jones may have been relieved to don the familiar gloves for his title defense at UFC 309, the underlying issues seemingly remain unresolved. In fact, even the UFC boss had to admit that the new gloves didn’t perform as he’d expected and had indicated that the old gloves would make a permanent return after one crucial issue could be addressed! 

Dana White admits the UFC’s ‘new glove’ experiment failed despite “good intentions”

The UFC’s new gloves entered the Octagon like the heroes of a new era. Designed to shield fighters from eye-pokes and broken hands, they were hailed as a game-changer. Yet, like a contender who promises greatness but falters under the bright lights, the gloves couldn’t live up to the hype. After UFC 309, the ‘new gloves’ were seemingly on the way out but as evidenced by UFC Tampa, there was still one hiccup.

What was it? For that, we’ll have to rewind back to the UFC 309 post-fight press conference where Dana White revealed, “Yeah, it’s a permanent move but the problem is that we don’t have enough of the old gloves, so until we can get them all done then yeah, that’s it.”

White also addressed the gold-colored gloves used in championship fights for a while. Despite their flash and symbolism, they won’t be making a comeback either. The UFC head honcho admitted, “You know what, there were good intentions with the new gloves. We spent a lot of time, energy and money on them. There were good intentions, it didn’t work out and it is what it is.”

In the end, the saga of the UFC’s gloves is a microcosm of ambition meeting reality. Dana White’s admission of “good intentions” speaks volumes about the complexities of balancing innovation with practicality. While UFC 309 showcased the old gloves and a triumphant Jon Jones, UFC Tampa painted a different picture—fighters still using the new design, sparking fresh questions. The issue of insufficient stock may explain the inconsistency, but it underscores a broader challenge: even with the best intentions, not every bold move lands a clean hit. What do you think about the UFC and Dana White going back on the glove design? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!