Just read this post Joe Rogan wants closed-finger gloves in MMA: Fan reaction
Joe is concerned about fighters getting poked in the eye.
At UFC 129, Georges St. Pierre suffered an eye poke from Jake Shields in their Welterweight Championship match-up.
This Slow Motion Video of Jake Shields’ Eye Poke of Doom featured on bleacherreport.com shows Jake’s open hand and straight fingers heading directly for GSP’s face.
That shot did some damage to GSP’s vision. But not enough. GSP is still the Champion.
Joe Rogan’s design sounds more like the mitten shape of a boxing glove.
“What I was thinking was a thin leather cover for the 4 fingers with some elastic on the sides so that it could spread out a bit to adjust grip,” Rogan stated. “I don’t think it would hinder grappling too much if done properly, and it might even help because it would provide traction when gripping that bare sweaty fingers wouldn’t.”
This could be an interesting problem to solve for creative sport equipment designers – who understand MMA.
Just thinking outside of the box – I’d suggest web-hand spandex covered fingers (with fingertips exposed) to help control the impulse to direct open-hand straight finger blows to the face, but allowing the option for functionality of the fingers when grappling.
This design idea reminded me of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. He used his webbed hands for swimming and fighting (killing).
MMA is still a young sport. The equipment we use is still evolving. I have an old set of MMA gloves from a couple of years ago. They have slim padding and a closed palm. I was told I couldn’t use them anymore. It was time for an upgrade.
My new ones have more padding and an open palm.
I’m looking forward to the development of new equipment designed to protect and preserve a fighter’s ability to avoid eye pokes and facial lacerations to enable them to keep on fighting without anything impairing their field of vision.
What are your thoughts? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it? How would you improve on glove design?
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Update: Nice one, Steve!
Steve left a video link in the comments. I’m adding it in to this post with a few bootleg pix from the video of the glove design. Does anyone know where I can get gloves like this? Does anyone have experience using them for MMA – specifically for grappling?
You can get a clear view of the gloves around 0:43 seconds into the video.
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Prism, Tiger Muay Thai & MMA Training Camp,
Highlight Reel “The Blood”
…and some photos
I see finger tips! I’d love to try these gloves for mma grappling and sparring.
Where can I get a pair of gloves like this?
Does anyone have experience with using them?
I’ve got serious glove envy right now.
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Photo Credit: Hip Hop / Martial Artist “Prism”, documented his Tiger Muay Thai & MMA Training Camp, Phuket, Thailand experience using TMT’s Video & Photo Highlight Reel Services. Prism used his own RAP song in this video called “The Pain”
Filmed, Edited, produced by Danny of D-Bauchery Films.
http://www.D-BaucheryFilms.com
http://www.TigerMuayThai.com
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Cheryl Ragsdale’s MMA posts also appear on Yahoo! Sports
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Cheryl Ragsdale practices martial arts for fun and physical fitness at Florian Martial Arts Center. She was recently promoted to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt by Keith Florian and UFC Fighter, Kenny Florian, both Black Belts. Stand up for yourself and stay young from the inside out. Check out some of my other posts strictly for UFC fans and fighters.
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I wonder why Joe Rogan didn’t just suggest these, actually. It would probably help the UFC from an insurance perspective as well.
Prism is the first time I saw them, so I wasn’t sure what they were either, but found them after searching google images lol
Twitter: thatgirlisfunny
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Hey Steve,
I was wondering the same thing about Joe! Why didn’t he know about Jeet Kune do gloves? Turns out Bruce Lee wore gloves like these in Enter the Dragon (according to my online sources). I searched for the gloves after you described them, but I couldn’t find them. Thanks for delivering the goods! I love the look of these gloves. My issue is with feeling safe when I’m punching and being punched. I think you’re right about the insurance issue too.
These aren’t “MMA Gloves” – but, instead, they are gloves for Kenpo Karate and Jeet Kune Do.
Jeet Kune Do Gloves
These are black and yellow – so if they are playing hip-hop while you train they will match the music “Black and yellow”
http://www.amazon.com/Jeet-Kune-Do-Gloves-X-Large/dp/B000N1C5F4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309813361&sr=8-1
Here are the Kenpo gloves:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kenpo+gloves&x=0&y=0
Unfortunately, I could not find a pair in Skelator colors – so I’m not sure they would be allowed.
This is the most current picture of your instructor and the next UFC champ at 145lbs, right?
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070201221043/uncyclopedia/images/f/f6/Skeletor3.jpg
I usually just got with grappling gloves and boxing gloves. I’m wondering how these would work transitioning from the bag to the grappling dummy when I train at home.
Twitter: thatgirlisfunny
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hahhaa! Black and yellow Black and yellow…you’re funny. I’m going to ask Skeletor about these gloves. We use boxing gloves and mma gloves, but these look they would be a perfect alternative. The Skeletor pic is sick. KenFlo would def approve. Stay tuned! I’ll let you know how I like these JKD gloves
I think this is the design he is referring to.
You can skip about 43 seconds in – although the background music is a MMA song (literally about MMA) I found on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-xaccxNAM
The gloves look like a combination of boxing / hockey gloves to me.
Twitter: thatgirlisfunny
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Steve,
My man! Thank you for coming up with the answer I’ve been looking for. I want to practice grappling and sparring – safely – and with as much dexterity as possible. Where can I get some gloves like these? As you can see I’ve updated the post to include the videos plus screen-capture photos. I’m drooling with envy. I want those gloves!!