Hey Scott.
Just watched the UFC thing on Fox, and the same thought came to me again as I've had when I've watched MMA - why doesn't someone start fighting dirty? I mean within the rules, but being a complete dick in the ring and do the kind of thing that would definitely be frowned upon and booed. I'm thinking stamping on the opponent's foot in a clinch (which would be technically legal), or battering ram with the head or repeated leg sweeps. Basically acting like a full-on heel and doing anything to win. I realise that it would be hugely unpopular and would bring MMA closer to wrestling in a lot of viewer's eyes, but it seems to me that someone could be really exploiting some gaps. Thoughts?
Guys train for YEARS to win at MMA using whatever little weaknesses and exploitations they can get, and if someone suddenly thought that any of that would be effective, you’d see it. Guys have definitely stomped on feet in the clinch before, back in the early days, and it didn’t make much difference to the fight. You’re expending a lot of energy to not a lot of effect. Plus Dana White would probably fire whatever guy was dumb enough to fight that way anyway.