Veteran referee Marc Goddard dismisses uproar about oblique kicks, says concern is more for aesthetics than injury

Respected MMA referee Marc Goddard recently voiced his opinion about oblique kicks. Goddard weighed in on the ongoing debate and said the controversy was blown out of proportion.

While other UFC fighters Belal Muhammad and Kelvin Gastelum are protesting against future use of the controversial kick, Marc Goddard stated that the technique was disputed because it looked worse than other strikes. Goddard said:

"I understand the aesthetic & why people have a hard time with it - but this is MMA & it’s all dangerous! Heel hooks, knee bars, reaping etc all directly attack the knee. It’s never nice to see a fight end with injury but we need to get over what we are doing here!"

I understand the aesthetic & why people have a hard time with it - but this is MMA & it’s all dangerous! Heel hooks, knee bars, reaping etc all directly attack the knee. It’s never nice to see a fight end with injury but we need to get over what we are doing here! https://t.co/8w6YiyweIu

— Marc Goddard (@marcgoddard_uk) September 7, 2021

The veteran referee reiterated that the aesthetics of the oblique kick make the technique seem worse than others. He further claimed that other techniques are also dangerous for a fighter, especially those that can affect the brain.

"It absolutely is an aesthetic!" wrote Marc Goddard on Twitter. "Of course the injury result from it can be catastrophic - but so is brain health, eyesight etc and these are ALL at risk. The statistics in which we see this technique employed are very low, even lower when looking at which ones end fights!"

It absolutely is an aesthetic! Of course the injury result from it can be catastrophic - but so is brain health, eyesight etc and these are ALL at risk. The statistics in which we see this technique employed are very low, even lower when looking at which ones end fights! https://t.co/O6ZF278jj7

— Marc Goddard (@marcgoddard_uk) September 7, 2021

The oblique kick is a technique used by many top fighters in the organization. It has been around for quite some time. Also known as a push kick to the knee, the technique is considered dangerous as it hyperextends the knee and can be rapidly attempted from the standing front leg.

Khalil Rountree Jr.'s oblique kick finish over Modestas Bukauskas at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till brought the discussion to the forefront.

Watch the finish below:

Khalil Rountree ended his fight against Modestas Bukauskas with an oblique kick. pic.twitter.com/1iGRcHmeb3

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 4, 2021

Marc Goddard also debunked the theory of the oblique kick being too fast to defend. While replying to a user who questioned the timing of the defense for the technique, Goddard compared the oblique kick with different moves.

Ok so your issue is one of timing? Or “advance warning” ? I can knee, punch, elbow, kick directly to your skull without warning. I can suplex, elevate & throw you from impactful heights. As I said I understands people’s hang ups over the aesthetic but this is a fight sport. https://t.co/TiVqSh7Fv6

— Marc Goddard (@marcgoddard_uk) September 7, 2021

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Daniel Cormier, like Marc Goddard, defended the infamous kick

Daniel Cormier has already commented on the validity of the oblique kick in the past. 'DC' faced an oblique kick master in Jon Jones twice. He justified the use of the technique and explained how easy it was to defend.

Watch Daniel Cormier defend the use of oblique kicks:

"Honestly, we're in the hurt business, man."@dc_mma has no issue with oblique kicks, like the one used by Robert Whittaker against Darren Till 🦵 pic.twitter.com/UB7wOrRMGt

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 27, 2020