In a bold move that could reshape the landscape of mixed martial arts, UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett has called for a significant overhaul of the Unified Rules of MMA. The Liverpool native is advocating for a return to the more aggressive, no-nonsense ruleset of Japan’s PRIDE FC and RIZIN Fighting Federation, specifically the legalization of knees and soccer kicks to grounded opponents.
Speaking in a recent interview, Pimblett argued that the current ruleset offers too much protection to wrestlers who fail their takedown attempts. He believes that the ability to stall and reset without consequence encourages a ‘gamey’ approach to grappling, rather than genuine fight advancement.
“I don’t agree with stomping because your head’s got nowhere to go,” Pimblett explained. “But a soccer kick where someone’s sitting in guard and you can move the legs and kick them there, and knees to the head of the grounded opponent, so if someone shoots a sloppy takedown just to get a break, you should be able to knee them in the head.”
Pimblett’s proposal comes shortly after the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) implemented changes to the definition of a grounded fighter in late 2024. The updated rules removed the ‘one hand down’ loophole, now requiring a fighter to have a knee or other body part down to be considered grounded.
Pimblett is currently finalizing preparations for the biggest test of his career against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. Scheduled for January 24, 2026, this lightweight matchup pits Pimblett’s grappling-heavy approach against Gaethje’s renowned striking power for the interim UFC lightweight title.
Should Pimblett emerge victorious, he has hinted at a potential showdown with featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. “I think if I win and he wins, and I get upgraded to undisputed champ, it wouldn’t surprise me if he thinks that’s the perfect opportunity to win the Lightweight belt,” Pimblett stated. “I don’t want to fight Volk — I proper like Volk — but he’s probably looking at it like, ‘That’s my best chance to become Lightweight champion: beating Paddy.’”.
With the UFC landscape evolving rapidly, Pimblett’s call for rule changes adds another layer of intrigue to an already captivating division.
Team_TBE Boxing