Joe Rogan is under fire once again for a bold opinion—this time, about one of the most controversial rules in combat sports: strikes to the back of the head.
On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan questioned why these strikes are illegal in MMA while talking with former UFC star Jorge Masvidal.
“I don’t even know if we should stop hitting people in the back of the head; it doesn’t make any sense to me, and it should be legal,” Rogan said.
As someone who’s competed in over 20 professional MMA bouts, I’ve questioned this myself. Rogan brought up scenarios where a head kick wraps around and lands behind the ear, or where a rocked fighter is about to be finished regardless—so why the restriction?
Then I reached out to someone who sees the consequences firsthand: Dr. Howard Gelb, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who’s been caring for UFC athletes for over 13 years. He’s seen it all—fractured orbitals, nasal breaks, retinal damage, and more. When I asked for his thoughts on Rogan’s comments, he didn’t hold back.
“With regard to head injuries, I’ve seen plenty of nasal fractures, sinus issues, orbital fractures, retinal tears, and hematomas around the skull,” he said.
“However, if strikes to the back of the head were deemed legal in the UFC, I truly believe we would see more head injuries with long-term consequences—as well as potential neck injuries.”
Dr. Gelb explained that while areas like the eyes and temple are vulnerable, the back of the head—especially the cervical spine and cerebellum—can lead to much more serious, sometimes irreversible, damage. He also made a great point that I’ve heard countless times in pre-fight referee meetings. Strikes from behind leave fighters defenseless. You don’t see them coming. It’s the equivalent of getting sucker-punched on a walk in the park. No time to brace, no time to react.
When a strike is coming from the front, a fighter has a fighting chance. From behind, it’s just damage without defense.
After talking to Dr. Gelb, I’ve changed my stance. I no longer agree with Rogan on this issue. The fight commission does everything in its power to prioritize fighter safety—from weigh-ins to the final bell. And as much as MMA is a violent sport, the rules exist for a reason.
Strikes to the back of the head were once legal in the early days of the UFC, back when MMA was closer to a free-for-all than a sanctioned sport. But if we want MMA to continue to grow as a legitimate, regulated, and respected competition, we can’t go backward.
At the end of the day, Mixed Martial Arts isn’t a street fight. It’s a sport. And if we want to keep it that way, we need to protect the rules that protect the fighters.
