Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling recently faced Kevin Dantzler in a grappling match at Fury Pro 8 on December 30, ending in Dantzler’s victory via decision.
Sterling, known for his grappling prowess, voiced dissatisfaction with Dantzler’s repeated use of butt-scooting and guard pulling during the match. This criticism led to a social media debate on the acceptability of such tactics in submission grappling.
Merab Dvalishvili, another UFC bantamweight and friend of Sterling, encountered the same opponent, Kevin Dantzler, in a subsequent grappling match. Dantzler once again employed similar tactics, resulting in a decision victory over Dvalishvili. Following the match, Dvalishvili took to social media to share a snippet of the bout and express his discontent.
“This is the same guy who butt-scooted with [Aljamain Sterling] 2 weeks ago. He gives Jiu-Jitsu a bad name,” Dvalishvili captioned the video, aligning his sentiments with Sterling’s concerns.
The use of butt-scooting has sparked debates within the combat sports community. While fully legal in submission grappling, some argue that it exploits the rules and potentially leads to less engaging matches, contrasting opinions on its validity. With the rise of UFC stars parttaking in BJJ events, the pendulum might be shifting.
Both Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling are gearing up for their upcoming MMA bouts. Sterling is set to debut in the featherweight division against Calvin Katter during the preliminary portion of UFC 300 on April 13. On the other hand, Dvalishvili will feature in the co-main event at UFC 298 against former two-division champion Henry Cejudo.
The social media discussion ignited by Sterling and Dvalishvili sheds light on the ongoing debate regarding grappling tactics and their impact on the perception of the sport, adding an intriguing layer to the narrative within the combat sports community.
