It seems as if someone has been paying attention to Joe Rogan and his demands for a change in MMA rules! The UFC color commentator and host of the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast has been vocal about wanting to see MMA rules evolve and a change in the cage for fights. During a past conversation with Paul Felder on the JRE MMA Show no. 135, Rogan exclaimed, “If you can play basketball in a court, why can’t you have an MMA fight in the court.”

But while the basketball court idea hasn’t yet been explored, Gilbert Melendez, former UFC lightweight fighter, has launched a new league that aims to bring a change to MMA fights. During his recent conversation on ‘The MMA Hour,’ Melendez revealed how his latest venture could even have led to different careers for legends like Mark Hunt and Nate Diaz!

Joe Rogan finds someone willing to make changes to MMA rules

Gilbert Melendez’s latest venture is called ‘Fight Night at The Tech’ and will be executive produced by Scott Coker, former president of Bellator. During his conversation with Ariel Helwani, Melendez stated, “The fights are going to be in a ring, we’re super excited about that. I’m pumped about it. Someone who’s fought in Shooto, someone who’s fought in PRIDE, that’s kinda, to me, the roots of mixed martial arts. I think it has a really classy look, and more importantly, it increases the action.”

His comments highlight the fact that the ring is where many legendary MMA fighters made their names in promotions like PRIDE FC and Shooto, in Japan. Notably, Mark Hunt, Nick Diaz, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic, and Alistair Overeem became icons with their performances in the squared circle.

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Melendez went on to state, “I think people like Mark Hunt would have succeeded in MMA in the ring, people like Nate Diaz, people like myself, aggressive fighters have trouble in the large cage sometimes, or the circle more so.”

By introducing a ring, Melendez aims to provide a platform for tactical maneuvering and increase the action for both fighters and fans. This change aligns with Rogan’s desire for evolution in MMA rules and structures. His comments about Diaz and Hunt’s careers are also interesting as both men are known for their pressure and boxing-heavy styles, which have caused them trouble against many opponents in the past due to the cage allowing for more movement and hit-and-run tactics by fighters. 

And so, while the venture holds the potential to reshape the landscape of MMA and pave the way for future innovations in the sport, it doesn’t satisfy all of the changes Joe Rogan has indicated that he’d like to see in MMA!

Rogan revealed how UFC rules may favor a certain style of fighting

During a conversation with UFC fighter, Jorge Masvidal in 2023 on the JRE MMA Show no. 137, Rogan had highlighted how the UFC’s rules lead to an advantage for grapplers over strikers inside the Octagon.

When Masvidal stated, “There’s a lot of things that it kind of leans towards wrestling”, about the UFC’s rules, Rogan responded by stating, “The downed opponent thing where you can touch one hand down. I know they’ve changed that in some places, but there’re other places it’s still considered one hand down to punch. It’s crazy. It doesn’t make any sense, and it does favor the grappler. It’s also unrealistic”

His comments highlighted the fact that fighters who have a grappling-heavy style like former bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling, can put themselves in positions where their opponent has limited counter-offensive options due to the rules of the sport. The JRE host has also been vocal about changing the 6-12 elbow rule, stating the obvious that slanted (strikes at an angle) elbow strikes are equally, if not more, damaging.

While Melendez’s league represents progress toward addressing some of these concerns, there’s still room for further evolution in MMA rules to ensure fairness and balance for all fighters. And so, Rogan’s advocacy for change continues to fuel discussions within the MMA community, paving the way for future innovations in the sport!

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