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Unusual and Weird MMA Rules – What Are The Strangest Ones?

#5 – No Abusive Language

For many reasons, one of the strangest MMA rules is that fighters can’t use abusive language in the cage. I’ve to say that the essence of MMA is that you can either beat or choke your opponent until he’s no longer conscious. That being said, it’s funny because fighters have the right to injure one another seriously but not use trash talk or curses toward their opponent.

Also, what’s weird with this rule is that referees hardly apply it in the cage since fighters like McGregor, who trash talk regularly, don’t get any warnings to stop.

#4 – Timidity Isn’t Allowed

MMA enthusiasts are aware that this is a sport that brings excitement to them. Nobody would like to watch boring fights on their TV or in a live arena if that weren’t the case.

Even though the MMA rulebook has emphasized the fighters’ safety, entertainment is also one of the priorities.

So, to keep MMA fun, they introduced a rule that makes timidity illegal. To clarify, fighters can’t avoid contact with their opponent, fake an injury, or drop their mouthpiece multiple times during the fight.

Timidity isn’t often seen in the cage, but it can happen from time to time. One example was in 2020 when Dan Miragliotta warned Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero for timidity in the UFC middleweight championship title fight.

#3 – Headbutting Is Illegal

Possibly one of the most controversial rules in the fighting promotion UFC is that the rules forbid any intentional headbutting. The reason is that when the UFC started to make fights, the martial artists who fought were allowed to headbutt. Today, headbutting is illegal in the UFC. Also, many other MMA organizations don’t allow headbutting in their fights.

Since its early days, MMA has significantly evolved, and the focus is on improving fighters’ well-being. That being said, headbutting isn’t allowed because fighters can get severe and irreversible brain damage.

On the other hand, some MMA experts, such as the legendary UFC commentator Joe Rogan, think headbutting should be allowed because why could someone elbow you in the face but not hit you with their forehead since it’s effective? A Polish MMA fighting promotion, WOTORE allows headbutts.

The headbutt is a strange MMA rule because fighters can get knocked out in a millisecond via unintentional headbutt. So, it’s up to the referee to decide whether it was on purpose or not. Basically, it can be a lose-lose match since the fighter can get knocked out with a headbutt and lose the match. That happened in the UFC fight between Mitrione and Fortune, when Mitrione was headbutted by accident, got knocked out, and eventually lost the fight.

#2 -It’s Illegal To Throw Out Your Opponent From the Octagon

An MMA rule that is quite unnecessary, in the opinion of many MMA experts, is that fighters aren’t allowed to throw their opponent outside of the octagon. It would be better if there were a rule that states if someone accidentally gets thrown out of the cage, they should either just enter the ring again, or maybe the referee should do a count like the one we see when boxers are knocked out.

This MMA rule doesn’t seem essential because there’ve only been a few cases of an attempt to throw an opponent from outside the octagon. For example, in 1996, Tank Abbott tried to throw Cal Worsham outside of the ring but didn’t do it in the end.

#1- 12-6 Elbows

Many MMA fans think the 12-6 elbow strikes should be allowed, but they’re illegal, according to the official MMA rulebook (Unified Rules of MMA). For those who don’t know what 12-6 elbows mean, they are downward elbow strikes that move from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock.

One of the reasons this rule made it into the official rulebook was to calm people who thought that MMA was too violent in its early days. Also, 12-6 elbow strikes are illegal because they can cause severe forehead cuts and head injuries. If someone uses these downward elbows, they’ll be disqualified.

The most famous example of a 12-6 disqualification was when Jon Jones struck Matt Hamill with downward elbows and eventually got disqualified. This was the only loss in Jon Jones’ all-time great UFC career.

Impressive Football Records – Looking at Some of The Best and Most Unbelievable Soccer Records

#10 – Longest Scored Goal in History

On January 21, 2021, goalkeeper Tom King from Newport County scored the longest goal in football history from 96.01 meters.

Fans probably know that the previous player who set the football record was also a goalkeeper — Asmir Begovic. He scored his long-range goal from a distance of impressive 91.9 meters.

#9 – A Goalkeeper With the Most Scored Goals in History

Former Sao Paulo and Brazilian goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni was known for both saving and scoring goals. During his illustrious career, he managed to score a total of 131 goals.

What’s more interesting is that he scored 61 free kicks in his career. A number that many wingers and strikers can’t say to have done. This is one of those football records that will hardly get broken anytime soon.

#8 – Most Red Cards in a Single Match

In 2011, Argentinian football clubs Victoriano Arenas and Claypole thought they were having a regular match. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The referee, Damino Rubino, delivered 36 red cards in the game, setting a new football record.

The cause of this mayhem was when a fan entered the pitch, hit a player, and just started to run. Rubino sent off all the players as well as some members of the technical staff. I don’t think we’ll get this many red cards in a long time.

#7 – Most Goals in a Calendar Year

Lionel Messi, possibly the greatest football player ever, scored 91 goals in the entire 2012 year. 79 of those goals he scored for his club Barcelona, and 12 for Argentina. The previous record-holder was none other than one of the best strikers in football — Gerd Muller.

He scored 85 goals in one calendar year for his club, Bayern Munich, and the West German team.

Even more remarkable is that Messi broke Muller’s record in 1972. Messi broke a 40-year-old football record!

#6 – Football Player With Most Scored Goals Ever

You may think that this record belongs to famous players like Messi, Ronaldo, or Pele. But that isn’t the case. The superb football player who scored the most goals ever in his career is the prolific striker Josef Bican.

This Czech football player, who mostly played for Real Madrid in the 1950s, scored 1468 goals during his entire career. Besides this individual record, he had many other accolades, such as winning the European Cup 5 times with Real Madrid.

When Josef played football, the rules weren’t so strict; nevertheless, scoring that many goals will hardly be matched in the near future.

#5 – Most National Team Scored Goals

The Portuguese megastar Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the football record for most goals scored for his country. At this moment, he scored 128 goals and amassed 206 appearances in Portugal’s international matches.

Arguably the greatest European footballer of all time and one of the best to ever play the beautiful game, he surpassed the legend of the Iranian national football team in September of 2021, Ali Daei, who scored 109 goals in 149 caps.

#4 – Most Goals Scored in One World Cup

At the World Cup in 1958, French striker Just Fontaine scored 13 goals, setting the record for most goals in a single World Cup.

In the group stage, he netted three goals against Paraguay, followed by two goals against former Yugoslavia as well as one against Scotland. In the quarter-finals against Northern Ireland, Fontaine bagged two goals.

Then, one goal in the semi-finals against the mighty Brazilians and four against West Germany helped France to secure third place at the World Cup. This record seems unattainable in today’s modern football, but a talented player could break it one day.

#3 – Most Attendants in One Match

A remarkable feat was achieved at the World Cup Final in 1950 between fierce rivals — Brazil and Uruguay. That day, 199,854 football fans attended the match. What’s even more surprising is that approximately 174,000 tickets were sold, meaning that those extra fans were outside the stands and presented a huge safety risk.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong, and security measures became stricter after the World Cup Final. This football record will remain unbroken because the stadiums we visit today have a limited capacity of available seats.

#2 – Most Goals Scored in One Match

In 2002, one of the most incredible football matches happened between two Madagascar clubs, SO I’Emyrne and AS Adema. At the end of this unforgettable match, the scoreboard showed 149 – 0 in favor of AS Adema.

Although this was the match with the most scored goals, it was controversial since the players of SO I’Emyrne scored 149 goals to protest a decision made by the referee during the game.

#1 – Longest Unbeaten Run

The legendary Romanian club, Steaua Bucharest, was unbeaten from June 1986 until September 1989 in Divizia A, setting the world football record for the longest unbeaten run.

They went undefeated for 104 football games in their league. It’s a fascinating record that will hardly get beaten.

Best NBA Teams of All Time – Ranking The Top NBA Dynasties

Rules for Ranking the Top NBA Dynasties

When it comes to the criteria for ranking, some of the factors that I’ll take into consideration are:

Number of championships
Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era
Finals record

Some of the more subjective factors I’ll include are the toughness of other NBA teams compared to the NBA dynasties and to what degree those dynasties revolutionized how basketball is played today.

#6 – Golden State Warriors (2015 – 2022)

Number of championships (4)

Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era (6)

NBA Finals record (4 – 2)

The Golden State Warriors have left an enormous legacy in the 21st century, specifically from 2015 to 2022. They set a great example of how sharing and passing the ball means teamwork is the key to a successful team.

Also, they revolutionized the game with their shots beyond the arc, which led to more and more NBA teams focusing on their 3-point shooting.

The leading player of the Golden State Warriors is the incredible Stephen Curry, the best-ever shooter in the NBA. Alongside him was Klay Thompson, the 3-point shooting master, and the robust defensive player Draymond Green in the paint.

The first season of their domination was 2015/16, when they won 73 games, breaking the record of the Chicago Bulls of 72 wins in the 95/96 season. Eventually, they became NBA Champions after losing only one out of 17 games in the 2015/16 season playoffs.

The following season, the Warriors signed NBA sharpshooter Kevin Durant to create a super team.

Warriors became back-to-back champions, winning the titles in 2017 and 2018, with Kevin Durant being the finals MVP in both years. Many thought the Warriors dynasty died after the 2017/18 Warriors season.

However, Steve Kerr’s Warriors made a comeback in 2022, winning the NBA title, thanks to many exceptional players, but especially because of the finals MVP, Steph Curry. In the finals, he managed to average an amazing 31.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG as well as 5.0 APG.

The Golden Warriors dynasty is one of the most remarkable in NBA history and one that many NBA teams should look up to.

#5 – LA Lakers (2000 – 2004)

Number of championships (3)

Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era (4)

NBA Finals record (3 – 1)

The shortest among all NBA dynasties that we’ll mention are the LA Lakers. From 2000 to 2002, the team from LA won a three-peat thanks to one of the best duos in NBA history – Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. These seasons were the start of Kobe’s legacy in the NBA as one of the best players ever.

On the other hand, the Lakers had the big and fast Shaq, who just bulldozed everyone in his path. During their three consecutive championships in a row, Shaq was the Finals MVP in all three.

Besides this duo and the coach Phil Jackson, others who contributed significantly to this team’s success were Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, etc.

In the 1999/00 Finals, the Lakers played Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose-led Pacers. The LA Lakers eventually won the series 4 – 2, with Shaq destroying the Pacers and averaging a mind-blowing 38.0 PPG alongside 16.7 RPG. Meanwhile, the young Kobe managed to average 15.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 4.2 APG.

The following season (00/01), the Lakers met with the Philadelphia 76ers and their superstar, Allen Iverson. The Sixers barely succeeded in not getting swept by winning one game in the whole Finals series. Shaq was again incredible by averaging 33.0 PPG, 15.8 RPG as well as 3.4 BPG. In the meantime, talented Kobe got better and averaged 24.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 5.8 APG.

In 2002, which was the last year of this LA Lakers dynasty, they faced the Brooklyn Nets. Jason Kidd, the Nets’ best player, and the rest of the team lost to the Lakers 4 – 0. Shaq and Kobe were monstrous once again and averaged similar numbers from the previous Finals.

This NBA dynasty started to fall apart in the following seasons, mainly because Shaq and Kobe weren’t getting along. Eventually, Shaq left the team in 2005. Who knows how long this NBA dynasty could’ve lasted if it weren’t for their feud?

Overall, the 2000-02 LA Lakers will be remembered as one of the best NBA teams in history.

#4 – San Antonio Spurs (1999 – 2014)

Number of championships (5)

Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era (6)

NBA Finals record (5 – 1)

When we talk about consistency, one of the first teams that comes to mind is the San Antonio Spurs. From 1998 to 2019, this NBA team appeared every season in the playoffs, making that an NBA record—breaking 22 — year streak.

From 1999 to 2014, under the mastermind head coach, Greg Popovich, Spurs won 5 NBA titles. During these 15 years as an NBA dynasty, coach Gregg emphasized the constant development of his players and created an atmosphere of trust in one another.

During that time, this NBA dynasty built itself around its best player, the power forward Tim Duncan. He was a double-double machine throughout his career, averaging 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 2.0 BPG.

At the beginning of this dynasty, Duncan guarded the paint alongside another Spurs legend, David “The Admiral” Robinson. This duo won the 98/99 NBA Championship by beating the New York Knicks 4 -1.

Besides Tim Duncan being the star player, there were other players who also reached the status of Spurs legends during their title runs in 2003, 2005, and 2007. Manu Ginobili, the fantastic shooting guard, and the playmaker magician Tony Parker were those players.

When the Spurs won the NBA title in 2014, the previously mentioned trio were at the end of their careers, and a new star appeared on the team. The young, small forward Kawhi Leonard was a force to be reckoned with in the finals series against the Heat, averaging 17.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 2.0 APG.

This Spurs dynasty will go down as one of the best NBA teams of all time.

#3 – LA Lakers (1980 – 1989)

Number of championships (5)

Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era (8)

NBA Finals record (5 – 3)

The NBA dynasty that was most successful during the 80s was one of the best NBA teams in the sport — LA Lakers. Their style of play was fast, flashy, and entertaining.

The “Showtime” Lakers were led by one of the most superior duos in basketball history — Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The whole team mostly used the fast break as their major weapon and moved the ball in such an impressive way that they didn’t even bounce it from time to time.

A big 6 ft 9 in Magic Johnson, the greatest point guard in NBA history, was magical with the ball. His passing skills were unparalleled, and his shooting skills were no joke either. During his 13-year NBA career, Magic averaged 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 11.2 APG.

The other star of the team was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, known for his high-sky hooks and for achieving a double-double in most of the games he played. He is the second all-time score in the NBA with 38,387 points. Now you got a glimpse of how incredible this duo was.

In 8 seasons, this NBA dynasty managed to win 5 NBA Championships. In 1980 and 1982, the Lakers beat the 76ers in the finals, with Magic Johson being the MVP in both. Then, in 1985 and 1987, the star-studded Celtics, led by Larry Bird, were beaten both times in the Finals against the dominant LA Lakers. In these two finals, Kareem took the MVP award.

Meanwhile, in 1988, the Lakers beat the Pistons in a 7-game thriller, with James Worthy being the best player in the NBA finals.

After the 1998 Championship, they appeared in the 1989 and 1991 NBA Finals but unfortunately lost both times. Those events marked the end of the “Showtime” Lakers.

Without a doubt, they are one of the best NBA teams of all time.

Also, check out HBO’s documentary “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and get a closer look at how good this dynasty was.

#2 – Boston Celtics (1957 – 1969)

Number of championships (11)

Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era 12)

NBA Finals record (11 – 1)

I know that most NBA fans like yourself thought an NBA dynasty that won 11 championships in a 13-year span could be the greatest of all basketball dynasties. But, the fact that in time when the Boston Celtics won the NBA Championships in 1959, only 8 teams existed in the NBA doesn’t go in Boston’s favor. When they won their last championship in 1969, the NBA consisted of 14 NBA teams, 7 in each conference.

Basically, the reason I put the Chicago Bulls as the greatest NBA dynasty is because they managed to win 6 championships in a very tough and competitive era with 30 teams in the NBA.

The beginning of this Celtica era started in 1956, when the brilliant head coach of the Boston Celtics, Red Auerbach, traded Cliff Hagan as well as Ed Macauley in exchange for the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft, Bill Russel. The rest is history.

When it comes to his overall performance in the NBA, he averaged 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, and 4.3 APG.

Besides Bill Russel as the star of Boston Celtics, John Havlicek was a fantastic playmaker who possessd great ball handling skills. During his NBA career, he averaged 21.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 4.1 APG.

Other players who contributed greatly during the Celtics era were Bob Cousy, known as the “Houdini of the Hardwood.” Bob was incredible in fast breaks. Also, Sam Jones and Tom Sanders were crucial for the Celtics.

As for the NBA Championships, they beat the Lakers 6 times in their 1957 – 69 era, the St. Louis Hawks 3 times, the San Francisco Warriors, and the Minneapolis Lakers once.

No one can deny that there possibly won’t be a team in basketball history that will repeat what the 1957 to 1969 Boston Celtics did.

#1 – Chicago Bulls (91 – 99)

Number of championships (6)

Number of years appearing in the Finals in their era (6)

NBA Finals record (6 – 0)

A team that left a massive impact on NBA basketball was the best dynasty of all – the Chicago Bulls. From 1991 up until 1998, the Bulls dominated the league by winning six championships.

The team’s leading player was Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time. Another irreplaceable Bulls legend in this team was the legendary small forward Scottie Pippen. As a rebound expert, the eccentric Dennis Rodman was crucial in the defense.

Apart from this trio, the head coach, Phil Jackson, was the tactical genius in helping the Bulls win six championships. Other notable players in this NBA dynasty were Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, and Toni Kukoc.

Offensively and defensively, the Bulls were very fun to watch, thanks to their sheer tenacity to win and unmatched competitiveness.

In 1991, they faced the back-to-back NBA champions, the tough Detroit Pistons, in the Eastern Conference finals. Jordan and the team managed to dismantle them 4 – 0. In the NBA finals, they faced the LA Lakers, who were led by the great Magic Johnson and beat them 4 – 1 in impressive fashion. Jordan averaged 31.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 11.4 APG.

In 1992, they stopped Portland Trail Blazers and Clyde Drexler in the finals.

The following year, Phoenix Suns and their superstar Charles Barkley failed to stop the mighty Bulls, losing 4 -2. Remember that these Phoenix Suns were one of the best NBA teams to never win a championship.

After 1993, Michael Jordan and the Bulls went on a two-year drought with no NBA championship.

Then, in 1995/96, Jordan made an epic comeback. He, Pippen, Rodman, and others broke the record for most wins (72) in one NBA season. This was one of those records that cemented the Bull’s legacy as the greatest NBA dynasty of all time and the best team in NBA history.

In 95/96, the Bulls won the title against Seattle Supersonics in the NBA finals.

After this season, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Jazz two years in a row (96/97, 97/98), who were led by the powerful duo Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Once again, Michael Jordan was everywhere on the court, scoring points, assisting, stealing and rebounding. In his final game for the Bulls, Jordan scored 45 points against the Utah Jazz in game 6 in 1998. His most memorable moment from those NBA Finals was when he scored the winning shot in the final seconds of that game. MJ announced his second retirement that evening.

MJ was the finals MVP of all 6 NBA Championships the Bulls won from 1991 to 1998.

If you want to get an in-depth look into this NBA dynasty, watch the Netflix documentary “The Last Dance.”