LOS ANGELES — Chael Sonnen has reservations about the new definition of a grounded fighter in MMA.
Sonnen, a 20-year veteran of the sport, feels like the tweaking of the definition — a fighter can no longer just have one hand down and be considered grounded — invites further damaging blows to competitors.
“I don’t know them all yet,” Sonnen said of the new rules Wednesday at a Bellator 170 media function. “I know what a grounded fighter is, which makes the sport extremely more dangerous. One thing this sport did not need was more danger. It’s a pretty wide-open combat sport.