UFC 316 revives old rules that ban key techniques

Ed Mulholland-Zuffa LLC

UFC 316 is set to enforce old MMA rules fans haven't seen for a while.

To say UFC 316 is high stakes is an understatement, two title fights see Merab Dvalishvili and Julianna Pena defend their bantamweight titles. Challengers Sean O'Malley and Kayla Harrison use all of their momentum for a shot at UFC gold.

While it's true that styles make fights, the New Jersey Athletic Commission is to adopt an older version of the Unified Rules, which will effectively ban specific techniques on fight night.

UFC 316 Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley full preliminary card picks & predictions

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

UFC 316 commission will enforce old Unified MMA Rules, banning 12-6 elbows and changing grounded opponent

As first reported by Aaron Bronsteter on X, UFC 316 will not use the new Unified Rules of MMA which legalizes the use of 12-6 elbows, and changes the definition of a grounded opponent.

For UFC 316, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board have NOT adopted the unified rules of MMA.

Fighters with one hand or two hands on the mat will be considered grounded opponents and 12-to-6 elbows will be illegal.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 6, 2025

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board will use the old rules, which stipulate that 12-6 elbows are illegal, and that fighters with any amount of hands on the mat are considered grounded.

Under the new rules, fighters need anything other than their hands or feet on the mat to be considered grounded, which means fighters aren't safe from knees or kicks when they put a pinky finger on the mat.

This has some implications with the main and co-main events, where grapplers like Kayla Harrison and Merab Dvalishvili will not be able to land knees from certain angles. Nor, will strikers like Sean O'Malley be able to rain down elbows from a 12-6 position when fighters like Dvalishvili are attacking their hips.

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