• TUF 17

Rampage: Jon Jones' oblique kick should be banned

Don't miss Rampage Jackson's farewell interview, exclusively on ESPN at 12.30am Saturday night directly before the live UFC on Fox 6 event

Rampage Jackson has called for the 'oblique kick' used by Jon Jones to be banned from MMA, insisting the UFC light-heavyweight champion could end somebody's career.

Jones coaches opposite Chael Sonnen on season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, which airs on ESPN for the first time in the UK on Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning) at 1am.

The light-heavyweight king is not the first man to use the oblique kick - a stabbing technique aimed at hyper-extending the knee of an opponent - but he has developed it as a consistent weapon in his extensive arsenal.

Jackson felt the danger of the kick when he lost his title encounter against Jones, and then watched as Vitor Belfort suffered in a similar manner. In Rampage's eyes, it is a show of disrespect to an opponent to throw the kick.

"It should be called the illegal kick," Rampage told ESPN.

"It should be banned and it shows a lot about the fighter's character that he would throw it. How would he like it if somebody threw it at him and stopped him working for a year?

"I thought it was an illegal move. I think spinning elbows should be illegal too because they land on the back of the head. But I appreciate a good fight, a good scrap, I just wonder which rule fighters will bend next."

Jackson, though, still rates Jones as an extremely entertaining fighter, and excuses the champion for fighting slightly more cautiously in recent bouts. In Rampage's eyes, Jones has too much to lose to throw the same wild strikes he employed as a youngster.

"Jon Jones is not a boring fighter, he's got a lot of things like spinning elbows and slams and stuff like that, but lately - since he's become undefeated - he's taking less chances. If he gets his first loss out the way, he'll probably become more exciting.

"But that's human nature, as an undefeated champion you've got a lot to risk. You don't want to throw a spinning elbow and get knocked out. It's human nature. But he's had a few boring fights lately."

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