Thiago Santos says MMA need not ban oblique kicks, despite lateral knee kicks damaging his left knee against Jon Jones in 2019. He says fighters can evade them and urges tougher penalties for eye pokes and blows to the back of the head.
California State Athletic Commission director Andy Foster and UFC CEO Dana White have recently supported a ban. Santos also suggested banning 12-to-6 elbows before focusing on oblique kicks, and warned that adding restrictions could hurt the sport.
Santos lost to Jones by split decision with both knees injured; his right knee was already hurt before UFC 239, while lateral kicks damaged the left. He had surgery on both knees and returned more than a year later, then lost four of his next five fights before leaving the UFC. Now 42, he says he considers himself retired but still feels capable of competing and has no career plan.
