In Part 1, I already broke down some of the most common illegal moves in the UFC. From brutal eye pokes to groin shots that’ll make anyone wince. Some strikes are banned because they cause serious damage, others just mess with the fairness of the fight. Either way, they’re on the blacklist for a reason.
If you haven’t read Part 1 of illegal moves yet, no worries, you can still dive into this post without missing a beat. But hey, if you’ve got the time, I’d love for you to check it out.

Now let’s get into it. Round 2 starts now. Let’s go!

👱🏻‍♀️ Hair Pulling – The Starter Pack of Street Fights

Ever been in a street fight? Or maybe one of those dumb school scraps where two dudes throw wild haymakers and end up in some sloppy grappling? Clothes become a makeshift Gi, and next thing you know, your hair gets treated like part of the uniform too. (Alright, let’s be real, this sounds more like two high school girls beefing at lunch than a pro MMA fight, but you get the point.)

Back in the early days of the UFC, I’m talking the ‘90s – hair pulling was 100% legal. Yeah, wild. Your opponent could just grab your luscious locks and swing you around like it’s WWE. Unless you were bald, then you had plot armor. But seriously, who’s shaving their head just to avoid getting fouled and possibly ruining their Tinder game?

The problem? It was straight-up unfair. If one fighter had long hair and the other was bald, that was an instant advantage: one guy’s getting grips while the other just gets yanked. That ain’t it, chief.

So thankfully, in the 2000s, the Unified Rules of MMA stepped in and banned hair pulling. Respect. You no longer have to buzz your head to protect your neck (literally).

A classic example: Royce Gracie vs. Kimo Leopoldo at UFC 3. Kimo came in rocking a long braided ponytail, and Royce, being the BJJ wizard, used it like a handle. Man was hitting jiu-jitsu moves like he downloaded DLC for “Hair Control”. That ain’t in any BJJ textbook.

👆🏻 Finger Grabs – Small Joints, Big Problem

In grappling sports like BJJ, Judo, and Wrestling, there’s one golden rule: leave the fingers alone. You either grab the whole hand or keep it moving. No solo finger twisting. Why? Because those little joints are fragile AF – one bad yank, and you’re serving bent spaghetti for dinner.

Same rule applies in the UFC. You can’t grab or manipulate individual fingers or toes. Doesn’t matter if you’re trying to stall, escape, or pull off some sneaky move – “That’s fucking illegal” – Dana White, probably.

Sure, it’s not as flashy as a flying knee or bloodbath elbow, so it kinda flies under the radar. But don’t get it twisted (literally), it’s dangerous. One slip, and your opponent’s hand looks like it just rage-quit a game of Jenga.
The refs might not always catch it, the fans might not always notice, but the rule’s there for a reason: don’t turn grappling into a finger demolition derby.

🐰 Rabbit Punches – The Way to Kill a Rabbit

Ever heard how to kill a rabbit? Hit it in the back of the head. Brutal, right? But that’s literally why the move’s named that, rabbit punches are targeted strikes to the back of the skull, and they can seriously mess someone up.

Same goes inside the Octagon. If you land a shot to the back of your opponent’s head, you’re not just fighting, you’re flirting with death. The brainstem’s back there, fam. You mess that up, it’s lights out… for real. This ain’t a video game. You don’t play with people’s lives, even if they’re trying to choke you out.
So what happens if you throw one of these, intentionally or not?

Your opponent eats it (accidently), stays conscious, and the ref takes a point. Sucks, but the fight goes on.
Opponent needs a checkup? The ref might call it No Contest.
You intent, opponent (not) gets seriously rocked? Either way you’re looking at a DQ, and maybe even legal trouble if it’s bad enough. Real talk.

Bottom line? Don’t test the reaper. Stay away from the back of the head.
There have been cases in the past, especially in boxing, where someone ducks a punch and accidentally catches one to the back of the head. Intent or not, the danger’s the same.

🦷 Biting – What’s in your head? Zombie?

Yo, this ain’t The Walking Dead, and you’re not supposed to snack mid-fight. Biting in MMA? That’s some straight-up primal, caveman behavior. You bite someone in the cage, you’re not a fighter anymore, you’re a wild animal that forgot where the hell it is.

Let’s be real: Biting is the dirtiest of dirty moves (IMO). You’re literally using your teeth as a weapon when you run out of hands, legs, or brain cells. It’s not only nasty, it’s dangerous. Human bites can cause infections, serious damage, and one hell of a suspension.

Even though it’s rare, it has happened. Most infamous case? Mike Tyson chomping on Evander Holyfield’s ear, yeah, that wasn’t MMA, but it was combat sports history. And it set the bar for “what the actual hell” moments. In the UFC, fighters have been accused of biting during clinches or scrambles, it’s hard to catch, but when it’s clear, it’s instant DQ city, you’re full intent of it.

Biting doesn’t make you a savage fighter. It makes you look like a guy who lost the fight, also lost in his head, then panicked with his teeth.

Bottom line: This ain’t a buffet. Keep your mouthguard in, and your mouth closed. Unless you’re breathing, talking trash, or screaming after a win.

🎣 Fish Hooking – One Word: Gross!

This ain’t a fishing trip, and your opponent’s face ain’t bait. Fish hooking is straight-up one of the dirty (literally) moves you can pull in a fight. And if you’re doing it? Congrats! you just proved you don’t belong in a professional cage.

For those hearing it for the first time: you go fishing, you use rod, you hook on fish mouth to catch them. In the cage, fish hooking is when you shove your fingers into someone’s mouth, nose, or anywhere with a hole in body (yeah, don’t over image it), and yank. The classic version? Hook the inside of their cheek and pull like you’re trying to rip it off. It’s not just painful, it can tear skin, dislocate jaws, and leave someone looking like a horror movie extra.

That’s why it’s banned everywhere: UFC, BJJ, wrestling. Street fights might still allow it, but even then? No one respects a fish hooker. It’s not a technique, it’s a desperation move from someone who ran out of both options and morals.

And be real, when you stick your fingers in someone’s mouth mid-fight? Bro, if they bite clean through, that’s on you. Should’ve known better.

It doesn’t happen often in the UFC, but that doesn’t mean it never happens. Take Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler – a famous fight, most of us missed it live, and Poirier called it out in the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. The replay showed Chandler definitely pulling some shady fish hook move while grappling. But hey, fight was over, Poirier got him tap, and Chandler didn’t get punished. Now imagine if the ref had seen it mid-fight? DQ, warning, depending on how nasty it looked.

Bottom line: If you’re fishing for a win, use a jab, not a jaw yank. Save the fish hooks for the lake trip, not the cage.

🧠 Bonus: More Banned Moves (and One That Should Be)

So yeah, I already dropped Chapter 2 about illegal moves, but there are way more dirty tricks that’ll get you punished, disqualified, or meme’d on MMA’s X Community. Depends how bad it messes up the fight. Some of them include:

• Suplex throws that spike the head – power move? Sure. Legal? Nope.
• Throwing your opponent out the cage – imagine Khabib or Khamzat literally rage-yeeting someone into the crowd. 💀
• Hitting after the bell – like Tony Ferguson vs. Cowboy Cerrone. Fight’s over, but you keep going? Yeah… nah.
• Climbing the cage and running away – Actually no one ban you for doing that, but you still get instance lose. Bro 🤣 unless you’re sprinting for the bathroom mid-fight, there’s no excuse.

Hey, let me hit you with my hot take: there’s one move that’s still legal, but probably shouldn’t be… The Oblique Kick.

Yup. That savage little stomp to the knee. It’s meant to jam your opponent’s leg mid-strike, shut down their combos – and potentially shred their ACL. Unlike calf kicks, body shots, or punches that hit muscle, the oblique kick goes straight for the knee joint. And unlike a heel hook, which at least gives you a split second to react and tap, this one? You don’t get that mercy often. One bad angle, less than a second, and it’s career on pause for a year.

Still, it’s 100% legal in the UFC, kinda debate for this move. Fighters like Jon Jones, Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and others use it as part of their toolkit. And let’s talk about the savage one: Khalil Rountree vs. Modestas Bukauskas. Rountree hit a textbook oblique stomp, Bukauskas dropped like a chopped tree, fight over, TKO. Brutal, clean, and somehow allowed.

Oblique kicks spark big debates. Are they just smart tactics? Or dirty warfare disguised as technique?

Bottom line: There are rules for a reason. But sometimes, the most dangerous stuff… is still fair game.

💭 Dirty Moves? That’s an L

Let’s be real: pulling hair, biting ears, fish-hooking cheeks like it’s a cartoon, or hammering the back of someone’s head? That’s not “alpha energy,” bro. That’s straight up “I forgot what’s sport energy” behavior.

This ain’t WWE. This ain’t high school hallway beef. This is MMA, and if you’re using your teeth because your fists stopped working, congrats, you’re now banned and a meme.

And don’t even try that “Oops, I didn’t mean to!” Like bro… your finger accidentally ended up inside someone’s mouth during a triangle choke? What are you, a dentist?

Fighting dirty doesn’t make you look tough. It makes you look like you rage-quit reality. The legends? They win with brains, brawn, and mad timing, not with Mortal Kombat fatalities.

So be a pro. Save the illegal moves for Call of Duty. And if you’re really feeling violent, try Ranked in Tekken.

Think I missed a filthy trick? Or got a wild story from your own training or street brawl days? Hit the comments and let’s talk – no biting allowed.
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Follow the blog, stay sharp, and fight clean.
Catch you in the next round 👊

Until next time!

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