Elbow pads.

I'm not talking about "heavy" ones, but the elbow equivalent of the Rucanor Smash 2 kneepad. (no I'm not spamming a brand here, but naming the model will make it easier to understand of which type I'm talking).

It would give a better protection against cuts without almost no power loss of the elbow strike (same as the MMA gloves compaired to bareknuckle).
So it wouldn't be more dangerous to the fighters by causing more brain trauma through more resistens against elbow strikes (in the same way that English boxing causes more trauma over a longer period of time because of the heavier gloves, which will deminish knock-out power and thus the losing fighter will need to incasede more but "lighter" blows to the head).

Hrm, they'd have to make that rule similar to the old Wrestling shoes one. If you chose to wear elbow pads, you can throw elbows. If you opt not to, you can't.

Because if everyone wore elbow pads, it'd be that much easier to secure armbars/harder to slip out of them. And I'm assuming you mean the sleeves, not fully padded ones like you see in more cuddly fight sports. (Those would make it ridiculously hard to escape an armbar).

Have we seen anyone KO'd with an elbow recently? I can remember dozens of cuts due to elbows, but not a single KO.

When was the last time somebody got stopped on a cut from elbows?

Hrm, they'd have to make that rule similar to the old Wrestling shoes one. If you chose to wear elbow pads, you can throw elbows. If you opt not to, you can't.

Because if everyone wore elbow pads, it'd be that much easier to secure armbars/harder to slip out of them. And I'm assuming you mean the sleeves, not fully padded ones like you see in more cuddly fight sports. (Those would make it ridiculously hard to escape an armbar).

I'm wearing the kneepads of that type when I'm training CSW, they protect the knees when I'm shooting without hindering me when I'm grappling (slipping out of halfguard) and without almost no loss in power when I'm kneeing my opponent.

An elbow version would make it a bit more difficult to slip out of an armbar, but not alot more difficult.

And yes, if you chose to wear elbow pads, you can throw elbows, else not.

Looking at this from another angle... if a fighter starts bleeding due to damage inflicted on him, and the bleeding (damage) makes him unable to continue fighting, then wouldn't that be the definition of winning a fight (damaging your opponent so they're unable to continue)?

Alternately, if there is a risk of a stoppage while a fighter is bleeding but is able to continue fighting, that seems like an issue with the stoppage guidelines.

And if the concern is with judges being swayed by the blood (29-28, in this case), that seems like an issue with scoring criteria.

I personally would rather see refs pause the fight for cut repair than see an elbow ban..

This. The elbows aren't the problem, it's stopping the fight. If you're unable to continue, then the other guy won with elbows. If you are, why are you stopping the fight??

"The Crow" hates you all.

Edit:
The elbows aren't the problem, it's stopping the fight. If you're unable to continue, then the other guy won with elbows. If you are, why are you stopping the fight??

Exactly!

i have to say that i agree. i wouldn't mind seeing elbows taken out. there would be many less cuts, less matches where both fighters are stained red and the mat is covered in blood. it wouldn't be a huge change to fight strategy.

a cut usually doesn't finish people, put them out of action like a knockout or a choke will. it's the ref that steps in to prevent further tissue damage. so i don't consider it a win in the martial sense anyway.

that said, i'd still like to see fights from time to time where it is allowed. and head stomps/knees/soccer kicks too.

I think we should remove leg kicks from MMA too since it rarely ends up with a KO and highly favors people with bony shins.

How about some sort of elbow padding?

The problem with banning elbows is it gives more ammunition to the sport vs street type arguments. It'll be "elbows where banned because they're too 'd3a4dly'. "

I think we should remove leg kicks from MMA too since it rarely ends up with a KO and highly favors people with bony shins.

removing punches or kicks would change the game massively. i think removing elbows would have less effect on strategy than removing knees to the head of a downed opponent did. just imho.

How about some sort of elbow padding?

i reckon that would affect the grappling too much.

you know what, change my vote to only remove elbows thrown on the ground. leave it in the standup.

I see way too much "remove this or that" here. I'm not much into knees/elbows against grounded opponent because it seems less about technique and more about skull bashing. But I don't mind them per se. Stand-up elbows seem to be more harmful if you land a good one with proper power. Like, a packin' elbow against the jaw.

And wtf no leg kicks??? It wears your opponent down. Soon enough he'll make a mistake in order to dodge a leg kick and that's when you come in with that nasty swing or takedown.

I don't like having anything banned in one situation but allowed in another. There should be a list of allowable targets, and a list of allowable weapons. Mix and match them however you like, but leave position out of it. Knees standing but not on the ground, particularly with the grey area of standing up is hell. No 12-6 elbows, but 3-9 are OK? That just sucks. Saying elbows standing are OK but not on the ground is just more hell. Either allow them or don't. No allowing elbows to the body or the thighs, but not the head either. That just has the fighters trying to remember what to use in what situation, rather than training weapons to use in a fight.

i reckon that would affect the grappling too much.

you know what, change my vote to only remove elbows thrown on the ground. leave it in the standup.

Just elbows the the head would be enough, the problem is 'missed' punches where you clip with an elbow instead, so the unintended consequences could be impeding the more furious ground-and-pound for fear of a DQ due to an illegal technique.

I don't like having anything banned in one situation but allowed in another. There should be a list of allowable targets, and a list of allowable weapons. Mix and match them however you like, but leave position out of it. Knees standing but not on the ground, particularly with the grey area of standing up is hell. No 12-6 elbows, but 3-9 are OK? That just sucks. Saying elbows standing are OK but not on the ground is just more hell. Either allow them or don't. No allowing elbows to the body or the thighs, but not the head either. That just has the fighters trying to remember what to use in what situation, rather than training weapons to use in a fight.

This kind of makes a lot of sense.