Daniel Cormier Opposes the 2024 Elbow Rule Change
Daniel Cormier criticized the Association of Boxing Commissions’ 2024 vote to remove the long-standing ban on 12-to-6 elbows from the Unified Rules of MMA. The UFC Hall of Famer worried the change could open the door to further rule changes and make the sport look more like a street fight.
What the ABC changed
On July 23, 2024, the ABC approved revisions to the Unified Rules, including removing the prohibition on a 12-to-6 elbow: a strike traveling vertically downward from the 12 o’clock position toward 6 o’clock. The revision was scheduled to take effect November 1, 2024, but individual athletic commissions still needed to adopt the rules for them to apply in their jurisdictions.
The same rules package also changed how a grounded fighter is defined. As a result, coverage of the vote sometimes bundled separate changes together. The elbow decision did not automatically make every technique legal in every state; local commissions determine which rules govern their events.
Why Cormier objected
Cormier argued that relaxing prohibitions could encourage more rule changes, including the possible return of soccer kicks. His objection focused on how the sport might be perceived and regulated, rather than a claim that all downward elbow strikes had been banned for the same safety reason.
The rule had a notable connection to Cormier’s longtime rival Jon Jones: Jones received the only official loss on his professional record after he was disqualified for illegal 12-to-6 elbows against Matt Hamill in 2009. That history made the change especially prominent in MMA discussion, though the ABC vote did not alter the result of that fight.
The disagreement reflects a recurring challenge for regulators: make rules clearer and more consistent while maintaining fighter safety and public confidence. The ABC’s vote revised the model rules; state and tribal commissions decide how those rules are implemented for their events.
Sources
- MMA Fighting: ABC approves 12-to-6 elbow and grounded-opponent rule changes
- MMA Fighting: Cormier explains his opposition
- ESPN: ABC vote and rule changes
Sources: abcboxing.com; ufc.com; mmafighting.com
Tags
MMA, Combat Sports
