Should the UFC move exclusively to a 25′ Octagon?
The UFC uses a 30′ Octagon for all PPV events, but has been using a smaller 25′ Octagon for lesser shows. Is it time to shrink the cage for all fights?
Josh Barnett @JoshLBarnett
I’ll be the first to say it: the standard @UFC cage is too big. I think it allows for too much running. A smaller cage would increase action
The first reported boxing match in England was in 1681. The art was primitive, and any fighter who took a step backwards was said to lack “bottle” (courage). Fighters stood toe to toe until someone dropped, where upon they got a minute rest.
About 100 years later a Jewish fighter named Daniel Mendoza invented footwork, changing the game forever. In response, some contests were staged where in the fighters stood inside adjacent barrels, removing footwork entirely. Art Davie take note – there is an opportunity for you here.
The size of the ring varies in boxing to this day. A footwork-reliant fighter like Muhammad Ali could dictate a larger ring, with a harder mat. When Tyson fought, the ring was smaller, with a softer surface (not to cushion the opponent’s fall, but to make it harder to run from Iron Mike).
The debate is now playing out in mixed martial arts. Although the UFC used different sized Octagons in the early days of the sport, the standard Octagon, a cross between the wrestling circle and the (kick) boxing square ring, in 30 feet across. However, since the UFC merged with the WEC in 2011, the UFC has regularly used the smaller-sized, 25′ cage that was standard in the WEC. While a 5′ increase might not seem like much, it is actually a 44% increase in the size of the floor.
King of the Cage uses a smaller one still. The reason for a smaller cage is simple – as there is less room to move, shrinking the cage increases the concentration of action.
Saturday’s UFN 50 featured two heavyweight fights on the four-fight main card, but still went with the 25′ Octagon. Perhaps not coincidentally, both heavyweight fights ended in the first. The other two fights on the main card were also finishes.
A larger cage has an undeniable grandeur, and offers more ad space. However, that may be precious little when weighed against the benefits of increased action, which is what makes MMA the world’s fastest growing sport.