7 Illegal Moves MMA Fighters Always Get Away With

7. Grabbing The Fence

The most common of all MMA rule infractions, you're almost guaranteed to see at least one example of a fighter grabbing the cage during every UFC card, and rarely are they punished.

In the early days of the MMA, cage grabbing was entirely legal and many fighters used it to their advantage. Even in the first UFC event, Kevin Rosier held on to the cage for leverage while raining down brutal stomps on Zane Fraizer.

Despite just how often the foul is committed in MMA, referees usually just slap the offender's hand to remove it from the fence, (a quite literal slap on the wrist) and usually refrain from taking a point away.

The issue is, despite it often happening seemingly instinctually, grabbing the cage can provide a fighter with a significant advantage, and can even aid in a fight-ending sequence.

During the first fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes at UFC 142, Mendes almost secured a body lock takedown before Aldo held on to the cage to remain on his feet. Seconds later Aldo would free himself from the NCAA wrestler's grasp and deliver a brutal knee to end the fight with just a second left in the first round.