​LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 18: Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 333 press conference at Crypto.com Arena on September 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCThe oblique kick is one of the most dastardly strikes in mixed martial arts. It’s the kick delivered to the thigh and knee area and the purpose of the strike is to hyperextend the knee. That’s nasty and it can lead to a long-term injury. California State Athletic Commission head Andy Foster has started a push to ban the move. After an explosive episode of Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday, the UFC CEO was asked how he felt about Foster’s efforts. White seemed to be in agreement. He told reporters, “we don’t disagree.” Here’s a clip of the question and answer. Let’s talk MMA.The move always raises eyebrows whenever a fighter attempts it during a UFC event. UFC veteran Edmen Shahbazyan didn’t even know it was legal. On Saturday at UFC 331, Shahbazyan’s opponent Brunno Ferreira used it on him and the former seemed confused as he briefly appealed to the referee for some sort of intervention. When Shahbazyan got to his corner, he asked his trainer “can he kick my knee like that.”Shahbazyan won that fight by unanimous decision despite the complaint. The larger catalyst came earlier, when Ian Machado Garry said his oblique kicks damaged Shavkat Rakhmonov’s knee and helped sideline him more than a year. Rakhmonov later said he entered that fight already injured. Foster’s reported language is also broader than the oblique kick alone — he wants officials to discuss making lateral knee kicks a foul. Rampage Jackson’s criticism helped prompt the review, and Matt Brown has pushed back on the ban.Where the Rule Change StandsDetailInfoWho is pushingAndy Foster, executive director, California State Athletic CommissionWhat he proposedA discussion on making lateral knee kicks a foul under the Unified RulesWhenCommission debrief following UFC 331 in Los AngelesStatusNot a rule change yet. Lateral knee kicks and oblique kicks remain fully legalDana White’s positionCalled Foster the most powerful man in any commission in the world, then said the UFC does not disagreeWhat prompted itIan Machado Garry’s claims about Shavkat Rakhmonov’s knee, plus criticism from Quinton JacksonJackson on the technique“It should be banned, and it shows a lot about the fighter’s character”OppositionMatt Brown has publicly pushed backReported byAaron BronsteterThe move is obviously legal for now, but it is clear Foster, White and others would like that to change.Some Fighters Hurt by Knee KicksFighterOpponentEventWhat happenedSourcingModestas BukauskasKhalil Rountree Jr.UFC Fight Night, Sept. 4, 2021Right oblique kick to the left knee dropped him and Herb Dean stopped the fight. Bukauskas suffered multiple knee injuries and afterward defended Rountree publicly.ConfirmedShavkat RakhmonovIan Machado GarryUFC 310, December 2024G