Eye pokes have once again stirred controversy in the UFC, leaving fighters injured and fans frustrated. The issue came to the forefront when Henry Cejudo took multiple eye pokes from Song Yadong at UFC Seattle, ultimately leading to a technical decision loss. Just days later, Manel Kape was accused of repeatedly poking Asu Almabayev in the eyes before finishing him in the third round of their UFC Vegas 103 bout.
Now, Chael Sonnen has weighed in on the ongoing problem, saying there’s a simple fix that could eliminate eye pokes for good.
Sonnen Suggests New Gloves to Stop Eye Pokes
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen highlighted a glove design that could prevent fighters from unintentionally extending their fingers into an opponent’s eyes.
“If you want to solve eye pokes today, cover the glove,” Sonnen stated. “There is a glove that will cover the fingertips. If your finger goes straight, it’s still a rounded glove.”
The former UFC fighter expressed disbelief that the sport has yet to implement a proper solution, pointing out that he never had any issues with eye pokes throughout his two-decade career.
“I fought for 22 years as a professional. 51 men. Five days a week we sparred. Of all those rounds, of all that sparring, I’ve never touched anybody’s eye. What is it about my hand? Why does my hand not go into the eye?” he asked.
Calls for Stricter Punishments
Sonnen believes that beyond equipment changes, stronger penalties would also help deter eye pokes. He argued that fighters should face disqualification if they land an eye poke, just as they would for an illegal strike to a downed opponent.
“If you want something to go away, you punish it different,” he said. “There’s only two rules in the sport. Don’t kick the son of a b*tch when he’s down, and don’t poke him in the eye. If you do either, it’s a disqualification, or quit talking about it and accept that it’s part of the sport.”
Eye pokes have been a persistent issue in MMA for years, affecting the outcome of fights and sometimes causing serious injuries. With high-profile cases continuing to surface, Sonnen’s proposal could be the push needed for the UFC to finally take action.
