The unified rules of MMA could be one step closer to actually being unified.
On Tuesday, at the annual conference for The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports in Scottsdale, Ariz., the committee unanimously passed an alteration of its rule on the definition of a grounded fighter, according to a report by ESPN that was later confirmed by the ABC.
Under the new language, a fighter is considered grounded if they have anything more than just the soles of their feet on the mat. Thus, a fighter who has a fist or palm on the ground will be considered grounded and cannot be attacked with kicks or knees to the head.