Are oblique kicks going to be banned from UFC? Joe Rogan reportedly leaks decision on the controversial knee-shattering move

Joe Rogan has let it slip that one of the most controversial moves in mixed martial arts, the oblique kick could get banned from the UFC. This comes after years of debates about whether or not the move should be allowed and what its consequences might be.

On the 188th episode of his show, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience - MMA Show’, the famed UFC commentator said that the move “is going to be made illegal”. Rogan had been in a discussion with British MMA star Paddy Pimblett about Kazakh mixed martial artist, Shavkat Rakhmonov’s knee injuries. The two claimed that Ian Garry’s oblique kicks at the UFC 310 event were behind this.

Rogan told a confused Pimblett, that he knew that the move would be made illegal, after the former asked him if he really thought so. “I think we are announcing it right now. I don’t think people know, but it is going to be made illegal.” Pimblett disagreed with the decision to ban kicks from fights.


However, Rogan did not reveal any sources for his information.

What are oblique kicks and why are they controversial?

The oblique kick is a type of a push kick. According to sports news outlet Sportskeeda, the move is aimed just above the knee and driving it backwards with force. The kick is designed to hyper-extend the knee and stop the opponent from moving forward, according to Vice Sports.

The kick is similar to a stomp and is different from the fighter swinging in an arc like a traditional roundhouse kick. According to a Reddit thread, the move gets its name from its aim to target the oblique-related structures and ligaments of the opponents’ knee. The move can disturb the opponent’s balance and even cause them to lose their footing.

The use of the oblique kick has been causing controversy for years now as it makes the move’s victims prone to long-term knee related issues and injuries, according to Sportskeeda. According to Mike Piekarski, a physiotherapist and former MMA fighter, the oblique kick can damage multiple knee ligaments.

In an Instagram post, Pierkarski further revealed that a typical knee can only hyperextend to about five to ten degrees and any more could cause issues to the soft tissue and the ligamentous structures of the knee.

The consequences of the move can range from muscle strain to ligament damage or even joint capsule tear, according to Pierkarski.

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO, Dana White, in September 2026 said that the UFC supports California State Athletic Commission head Andy Foster’s push to ban the move from MMA.