Thiago Santos Opposes Banning Oblique Kicks in MMA

Thiago Santos says oblique kicks should not be banned in MMA, even though the strikes are what led to double knee surgery and derailed his career after his 2019 title fight with Jon Jones.

Santos lost a split decision to Jones at UFC 239 while fighting on two damaged knees, with lateral knee kicks responsible for the left knee injury and the right knee already hurt heading into the bout. He needed double knee surgery afterward and a long layoff before returning to competition more than a year later.

Why Santos Doesn't Want Oblique Kicks Banned

Santos argues the kick is defensible and no more dangerous than other legal strikes, despite what it cost him physically. "I don't see it as an illegal technique, a technique that's that difficult to defend from," Santos told MMA Fighting, adding that a well-placed low kick can do similar damage and that fighters "can bend his knee, move his leg out of the way, move to the side" to avoid it.

Instead of oblique kicks, Santos wants the sport to crack down on strikes he considers actually dangerous and already illegal. He pointed to a return of the ban on 12-6 elbows and pushed for harsher penalties on shots to the back of the head and eye pokes, citing what happened to Alex Pereira and former UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall as examples of the kind of fouls he thinks deserve real punishment.

Where Santos Stands at 42

Santos is not officially retired, but he is not chasing a new deal either. He described his current standing in the sport in military terms, saying he considers himself in a kind of reserve status rather than fully walking away. He noted that in his most recent fight he broke his hand in the first round against an opponent who was 20 pounds heavier, yet still lasted the distance in a three-round split decision loss.

The debate over oblique kicks has picked up steam with California State Athletic Commission director Andy Foster and UFC CEO Dana White both expressing support for a ban, putting Santos in the position of defending a technique that ended his own title shot on the wrong side of a split decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Thiago Santos oppose banning oblique kicks?

Thiago Santos says oblique kicks are defensible like any other leg strike and wants the UFC to instead focus on penalizing fouls like 12-6 elbows, shots to the back of the head, and eye pokes.

How was Thiago Santos injured against Jon Jones?

Thiago Santos suffered damage to his left knee from lateral knee kicks and fought on an already injured right knee during his split-decision loss to Jon Jones at UFC 239, later requiring double knee surgery.

Is Thiago Santos still fighting?

Thiago Santos, 42, says he considers himself retired but is not ruling out future fights, comparing his status to being in military reserve rather than fully walking away from MMA.