As it is the ABC, or Association of Boxing Commissions, oversees state and tribal athletic commissions when it comes to MMA. For changes to be made to the unified rules, the modifications need to be presented to the ABC and changes they agree to will then trickle down to the various state commissions across the country. Right now there are two major changes the UFC wants to make: to the rules regarding how an in-ring official can deal with an unintentional eye poke and to the three-point downed fighter rule. With regards to eye pokes, currently the referees are not allowed to give the victim time to recover. Veteran referee Big John McCarthy suggested that experienced officials can call for the doctor to inspect the eye in lieu of a five minute recovery brake (as there is with groin shots). This is a workaround. Referees should be able to give the fighter time to clear his vision rather than force him to continue or quit on the spot, as we saw with Gian Villante this weekend who told the referee he couldn't see and the fight was halted. The second major change would be to eliminate the rule exploit some fighters utilize regarding the downed opponent rule. Currently a fighter need only touch the ground with one finger to be considered "downed" and therefore protected from kicks and knees to the head and face. The UFC will likely ask to have this position more clearly defined, likely requiring a fighter to be on one knee or to have an elbow on the ground rather than a part of the hand. http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/...es-to-unified-rules-at-abcs-summer-convention
