"We need different gloves" - Michael Bisping explains the problems with the UFC's current glove design

Michael Bisping has used eye pokes as the perfect reason why the gloves in the UFC should be changed.

If there’s one man out there who knows a thing or two about eye injuries, it’s Michael Bisping. 'The Count' had to deal with them throughout the course of his mixed martial arts career and suffered for his art as a result.

During a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping explained what his biggest issue was with the current set of gloves.

“They changed it from that [hands bent] to that [hands straight] and I still think that having the hands vertical is such a stupid rule. I don’t agree with it whatsoever. I think you should have to have a loose fist - not clenched, but just bent. It’s not hard. If your hands are vertical and someone is coming in to shoot or whatever it is, one movement [and you could get eye poked]. I don’t like that rule.

“That’s the quest that we’re on - we need different gloves that do combat that. I think a design where you can have a bit of elastic or stretchy material that pulls the fingers in, but it’s not too strong, so when you’re totally relaxed your fingers are in that position [claw shape], so to apply a submission you’ve got to apply a little bit of finger strength.”

You can watch the full podcast below:

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Michael Bisping makes a lot of sense

Everyone from Conor McGregor to Michael Bisping and beyond has made an argument for different gloves. The consistency of eye pokes in the UFC helps to make that case pretty efficiently.

Got to feel for Belal Muhammad, who worked his way into his first UFC main event, only to have it ended by an accidental eye poke. pic.twitter.com/0jDWiVFbA1

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 14, 2021

They may cause some difficulties or complications in other areas. However, in the grand scheme of things, new gloves could help to keep the flow of fights going as opposed to stopping it in its tracks.

That’s no guarantee but as Michael Bisping points out, anything would be better than what we’ve got right now.

Everyone arguing for oblique kicks to be banned should have that same energy trying to get the UFC gloves fixed. Knees can be fixed, eyes can’t, and that’s a problem that isn’t being solved because of money, greed, and control.

— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) September 9, 2021