UFC brings back old gloves over drop in knockouts

In an unexpected change ahead of UFC 309, fighters have been notified that they will be fighting with their old gloves at the event in New York.

Just days before Saturday’s UFC gala in New York, the fighters’ camps have been informed of a very important change. The fighters will not be fighting with the new gloves, the design of which was implemented over the vacations. This means that at UFC 309: Jones vs Miocić, the old, well-known gloves will return to favor.

Ariel Helwani was the first to report the news, but the journalist was unable to determine whether the change was dictated by the New York State Athletic Commission or whether it was a top-down decision by the UFC. However, it is worth quoting a bit of statistics in passing.

The number of knockouts in the UFC octagon remained at 31-34% from the beginning of 2021 until mid-2024 when the new gloves were introduced. However, it turns out that since the introduction of the new design, there has been a decline in the number of knockouts in the UFC. In recent months, the number of knockouts has dropped to just 22.9%. In contrast, the number of referee decisions has definitely increased, up 11.5%.

Before the previous big-numbered gala, TNT Sports reporters asked Dana White to comment on the matter. The UFC chief said at the time.

– Who the hell could know that? How would we count it and evaluate it? I honestly haven’t even thought about it. It seems to me that even starting a discussion on this topic is foolish. There would be fewer knockouts because of the new gloves? I have seen many knockouts since their introduction.