Soccer kick

A soccer kick, also known as a soccer ball kick in puroresu and shoot fighting, is a reference to a kick that is similar to kicks used in association football. It is the colloquial term for a kick performed against a prone, kneeling, rising or supine opponent by a fighter who is in a standing or semi-standing position, to any part of a downed opponent. The soccer kick was used in the first match of the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 1 in 1993. Gerard Gordeau defeated Teila Tuli with a soccer kick, which also knocked out one of Tuli's teeth. The technique is banned under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts however other rulesets, including the ones used by Pride Fighting Championships do permit them. Soccer kicks have been regularly discussed as to potential damage. There has been a regular debate on the usage of them within MMA. Some MMA fans and fighters support them while a fight doctor and politicians have opposed them.

A soccer kick is performed when a fighter is standing to the side or in front of an opponent on the ground and kicks the grounded opponent's head. This is done in a style similar to an association football player kicking a football. Most practitioners aim to use their shins for the point of impact rather than the foot. While soccer kicks are usually delivered to the head, kicks to other parts of the body in a similar style are also referred to as soccer kicks.

The soccer kick has been a source of controversy in mixed martial arts since Gerard Gordeau's usage of one against Teila Tuli in UFC 1. Dr. Johnny Benjamin stated his belief that soccer kicks could cause serious injury, based on the assumption that an MMA fighter would be able to generate the same amount of force in a soccer kick as a professional association football player. Some MMA fans argue that no-one has ever been seriously injured from a soccer kick and stated that there were already equally dangerous moves allowed in MMA. Dr. Johnny Benjamin argued that soccer kicks could result in broken necks and paralysis if performed with the wrong positioning and high velocity.

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