People view grapplers in the UFC differently. While some can’t get enough of the grinding, control-heavy style, others understandably aren’t thrilled by the idea of watching a fighter pin an opponent to the mat for three or five rounds. For those in the former camp, some bad news may be on the horizon. The update comes straight from the coach of Sean O’Malley.

O’Malley’s longtime head coach, Tim Welch, recently appeared on ‘Home of Fight’ in a YouTube interview with host James Lynch. When asked about a rising MMA prospect out of The MMA Lab in Arizona, Welch was initially enthusiastic, saying, “I can’t wait for that kid to get in the UFC,” before stopping himself to bring up a rumor he’d been hearing.

Tim Welch feels it’s a smart move by the UFC

“Rumor has it the UFC is trying to get away from guys who just pin people and stall,” Welch told Lynch during the interview. “Grapplers who hold you in half guard for the entire fight. I think they’re moving away from that—and honestly, that’s smart. They probably should. At the end of the day, this is a sport people want to watch.”

In recent years, grapplers have increasingly dominated the UFC. While fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov were able to keep audiences engaged despite a grappling-heavy approach, others haven’t been as fortunate. Khamzat Chimaev, for instance, has struggled to shake off criticism despite his incredible success inside the Octagon.

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His most recent middleweight title bout against Dricus Du Plessis serves as a prime example. There’s no denying Chimaev’s dominance throughout the fight, but much of the action took place on the ground. Even there, fans questioned the amount of damage he was able to inflict, fueling further debate about his style.

Chimaev isn’t alone. Fighters such as Belal Muhammad and Movsar Evloev have faced similar scrutiny for their grinding, control-oriented performances. Still, the bigger question remains: would the UFC truly move away from its top names?

Chimaev is the reigning middleweight champion, and any potential separation would almost certainly come after a loss—something that doesn’t appear imminent given his current dominant run. Fighters like Merab Dvalishvili and Belal Muhammad, however, may have more reason for concern.

With their titles already gone, the UFC could theoretically choose not to renew their contracts if it continues shifting its priorities. Besides, fighters themselves have started acknowledging how boring their fight was.

Jack Della Maddalena reflects on ‘boring’ Islam Makhachev fight

Jack Della Maddalena lost a pretty one-sided matchup against Islam Makhachev at UFC 320. Speaking about the fight with Kick streamer N3on, the usually reserved Australian admitted the bout wasn’t exactly fan-friendly.

“My last fight was a bit boring,” Della Maddalena said when his action-heavy style was brought up. He credited Makhachev’s grappling dominance for how the fight played out, acknowledging just how difficult it was to deal with the Dagestani on the mat. 

“Obviously, his wrestling is good,” Maddalena added. “His top position is good, right? He’s good at just holding people down, pinning. He’s really good at pinning people, and I got stuck there.” Despite the defeat, Della Maddalena remains focused on redemption.

“[A rematch] is the dream,” he said, explaining that a fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov could put him right back into title contention.

While Welch’s warning is just a rumor, it makes a lot of sense from a casual fan’s perspective, who just wants to watch action-packed fights. But do you think the UFC can actually execute this plan?