LAS VEGAS, NEVADA- New glove curse?
Last month at UFC 302, UFC introduced brand-new gloves for the first time in over a decade. Since then, there have only been 12 knockouts/TKOs, and only eight of those have been knockouts featuring the gloves (the others were injuries, elbow knockouts, and knee-to-the-body finishes).
Luckily, last night (Sat., June 29, 2024) at UFC 303, there were four brutal knockouts, including a 19-second knockout and a one-punch face-plant knockout.
UFC CEO Dana White was asked during the UFC 303 post-fight press conference (watch here) if the concern over the lack of knockouts is over.
“Let me tell you what me and [Hunter Campbell] were looking at each other like, ‘are these gloves fu—ked up?’ Believe me, we were saying the same thing,” White told the media. “You guys had us wondering, too. So then when [Alex Pereira] knocked [Jiri Prochazka] down the first time, I looked at him and said, ‘I guess it ain’t the gloves.’ And he goes, ‘I don’t think it matters what he’s fu—ing wearing. So that might be true. I don’t know. I think it’s just a coincidence. [White knocks on the table] Hopefully.”
Dana White is asked, with all of the KO’s tonight, should everyone stop complaining about the new gloves? pic.twitter.com/IVQuoBmezM
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) June 30, 2024
While it is impossible to know if the new UFC gloves are causing the lack of knockouts that fight fans are used to seeing because of a shortage of data, hopefully, it is just a string of bad luck.
The new gloves were also supposed to help eye pokes. Unfortunately, they aren’t helping because there has been a slew of eye pokes since UFC 302.
Hopefully, there will be more knockouts on UFC Denver in two weeks.
For complete UFC 303 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.