Commentator Yves Edwards explains why elbows aren’t allowed in the PFL

The Professional Fighter’s League has produced some pretty incredible knockouts over the course of brief time on our screens, and it’s done so entirely without elbow strikes.

No, elbows are not allowed in the PFL cage.

Speaking on MMAjunkie Radio, UFC veteran and PFL commentator Yves Edwards explained why elbow strikes are outlawed in the league. Apparently, it’s all about minimizing the risk of season-derailing lacerations. If a fighter sustains a bad, elbow-induced cut early in the PFL season, and can’t compete later in that season as a result, well that’s a pretty significant problem.

“If you get cut this week, and you can’t fight five weeks from now because of a suspension, that’s going to be a problem,” Edwards explained. “Especially when we get to the playoffs.”

“We just want to eliminate as many things as possible to keep the guys that are earning their shot, to keep them having the opportunity to earn that one million dollars,” Edwards said, referencing the $1 million dollar prize the league will award the divisional winners of each season.

While some fans have been disappointed by the lack of slicing elbows in the PFL cage, Edwards thinks there are some techniques that needn’t appear in the MMA cage. Elbows are one. Groin shots are another.

“I fought Shannon Ritch one time, and they wanted to throw nut shots,” Edwards said. “I’m like, ‘This is stupid. Why would we do that? I’ll fight any of you if we can throw nut shots.’”

What do you think of the PFL’s choice to ban elbows? From the looks of it, it’s not going to result in any less knockouts in the league’s cage…

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 6/25/2018.