Dana White has explained his reasoning for making a late change to the gloves that fighters will wear going forward.
Back in April during fight week for UFC 300, White and the promotion made a massive presentation of their new 3Eight and 5Eight gloves. They were said to help to minimise eye pokes and cuts, but since debuting at UFC 302 in New Jersey, they have proven controversial.
Fighters were reportedly relieved to learn when they arrived this week for UFC 309 check-in that the promotion would be going back to the old ones. And White has now detailed his reasoning for making the change.
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Dana White explains why UFC changed gloves ahead of UFC 309
After a few days of confusion since promotion officials confirmed that they would be moving back to the old gloves, Dana White finally opened up on Thursday night about his decision making. He opted to change the decision following a series of issues fighters and others had.
“There were a lot of complaints,” he explained during a press conference in New York We originally created these gloves to stop eye pokes and we had good intentions with them. They didn’t work out, people weren’t happy with them. So I actually made the decision.
“I called our chief operating officer, Lawrence [Epstein], and said ‘I’m switching the gloves, I want the old gloves back’.” And asked if this would be the plan going forward, he replied: “Yes, the new gloves are now the old gloves.”
Jon Jones expresses relief at using old gloves for UFC return
It was a great delight for heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who defends his belt against Stipe Miocic on Saturday night in his first fight since the new gloves had been introduced. Neither man had used the new mitts, nor had co-main event stars Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira.
Jones was not pleased with the pairs he wore in training as he prepared for a new-look and new-feel in his return after almost two years out of action. As such, he was delighted to receive the call from executive Hunter Campbell saying they were going back.
“I’m really excited about the old gloves,” Jones said earlier this week. “I got sent a pair of the new gloves several weeks ago. I tried them on and I thought they were tight. I used to fit in XL and in the new glove I had to put on a 3XL.
“I was actually really stressed thinking about how I’m going to go into fight week wearing these gloves that I don’t even want to train in. The shape, curving your hands like that, they very uncomfortable for me.
“I got a phone call recently, Hunter [Campbell] said, ‘Everyone on this card are veterans, why put a bunch of vets in the new gloves? Let’s give you guys all what you’re used to. It was a major relief to my coach Brandon [Gibson], who wraps my hands. It was a major relief to me as well.”