UFC 302 is almost upon us and fans can hardly contain their excitement. After what has been a brief yet tense buildup, there will be a lot on the line on Saturday night. That said, one of the main talking points regarding the event is also the introduction of the brand-new UFC official fight gloves.
Ahead of UFC 300 in April, it was revealed that the promotion is set to utilize brand-new gloves which were designed and engineered by VICIS, a premium football helmet company. Notably, it was stated that the newly improved iteration will offer athletes enhanced protection, improved fit, greater comfort, and maximum flexibility. Thus, it became a major talking point and a change that many felt was long overdue.
New gloves coming to an Octagon near you 👀
More info: https://t.co/LM2GpGfS2p pic.twitter.com/IV17byIapl
— UFC (@ufc) April 12, 2024
Further review and analysis showed how the new gloves were superior to their previous editions and how they would minimize abrasions and cuts, prevent glove-grabbing, and most certainly reduce eye pokes. Whilst the presentation itself was very convincing, it was ultimately the fighters that would have the final say—as such, fighters from UFC 302, had the chance to use the gloves in preparation for the upcoming event.
Sean Strickland believes that the UFC ‘dropped the ball’ with the new gloves
For the most part, one of the most prominent names on the UFC 302 card happens to be the former middleweight champion, Sean Strickland. Taking on Paulo Costa in order to build himself back towards a title shot, Strickland will be fighting in a 5-round co-main event on Saturday, June 1. As such, he has also been adjusting to the new gloves, having done a lot of his training in them.
During the UFC 302 media day, Strickland was naturally posed with a lot of questions. Among them was the obvious question of how he was finding the new fight gloves to be. Being one of the most boisterous and opinionated fighters on the roster, the 33-year-old did not hold any punches:
“Yeah, they suck dude. Can we talk to the person who designed these gloves. Have you ever been in a fight in your f***ing life? Its like you get these f***ing dork that have no idea. How did you a******s think this was a good idea? They absolutely suck. UFC, you dropped the ball on that one.”
When asked in detail as to why he did not like the new gloves, Strickland clarified how they do not really solve the problems of eye pokes and how they will lead to plenty of cuts and abrasions, regardless of what the development team had to say. All in all, Sean Strickland’s main complaint with the entire ordeal all boils down to ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
What have other UFC 302 fighters said about the new gloves?
For the most part, all the UFC 302 fighters received the new gloves during their training camps for the event. As such, they have been able to spend a lot of time using the new gloves as they try to break in and get used to their new gear. In the past, Vanessa Demopoulos, Julian Erosa, Jessica Andrade, Chase Hooper, and others have been involved in the early testing and prototype runs with the gloves.
Whilst they only had good things to say about it, other fighters seem to have much differing opinions. As such, let’s take a look at what some of the fighters from UFC 302 had to say about using the gloves during their respective training camps.
Islam Makhachev: “The (new gloves) are very stiff. They will cause more cuts, as the previous UFC gloves were softer. These are stiffer. They don’t let you fully open your hand just to make sure the fingers don’t extend straight forward. But overall, they are pretty much the same.
I am going to frame them next to the belt, as the first golden gloves in the UFC.”
Dustin Poirier: “I think they’re more comfortable. It’s easier to make a fist. I do think there might be more cuts because the padding isn’t as dense. I feel like the knuckles are gonna pierce through that padding that they have and cause more cuts, I think. But I like ’em better, they’re more comfortable to make a fist in.”
Cesar Almeida: “I’ve hit pads using them, I’ve grappled with them, and it protects your wrist a little bit more, it’s smaller here and there, but it doesn’t change much in my opinion, to be honest.”
Notably, Cesar Almeida was able to get his hands on the gloves a little earlier than most. Seeing that the UFC discreetly tested the gloves during the Contender Series in 2023, Almeida who is set to face Roman Kopylov got the opportunity to go back and forth between the new and old gloves. All things considered, an extended period of time, along with more fighters using the glove will likely allow us to gather a better understanding on the matter.