A List of Illegal MMA Moves (Avoid These Inside the Cage!)

UFC 1 originally pitched Mixed Martial Arts as a live, televised version of Mortal Kombat. The producers wanted it to be as brutal as possible, to the point of even considering topping the cage with razor wire! Needless to say, with the lack of established MMA rules at the time, there weren’t a lot of illegal MMA moves. The only restrictions at the time were no biting and no eye-gouging. 

However, although MMA can seem pretty vicious from the various damage-dealing techniques, it ultimately is still a sport. As the years passed, UFC rules developed to become more considerate for the combatants’ health and safety. 

The list of illegal MMA moves continued to grow, including hair-pulling and groin strikes into the mix. The UFC even began to impose MMA rules such as the Anti-Doping Policy somewhere along the line. 

What happens when fighters make illegal MMA moves?

Fighters who step into the cage have the responsibility of knowing the rules the promotion implements. Illegal moves will most probably turn the tables in favour of the offending fighter, but not without cost. 

Illegal MMA moves may be unintentional, likely from a sloppy execution of a legal technique. Case in point: a knee to the body during the clinch can easily go too low and hit the groin instead. 

In this case, there may be a short break to allow the other fighter to recover from the illegal move. If deemed accidental, a quick reprimand from the referee should stop the fighter from repeating it. However, if a fighter keeps making illegal moves despite warnings, regardless of the intent, the referee may deduct points—or even disqualify the fighter altogether.