"There's a reason we wrap the hands" - Chael Sonnen recommends wrapping shins in MMA

​

Conor McGregor (left), Chael Sonnen (right) [Photo credit: @sonnech on Instagram]

Retired MMA fighter Chael Sonnen believes he has the solution to the UFC's mounting problems with leg breaks. The former UFC title challenger believes fighters need to wrap their shins to lower the risk of leg injuries.

The UFC 264 bout between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier ended in traumatic fashion after the Irishman broke his left tibia as he appeared to have planted his foot awkwardly.

Poirier picked up the TKO victory and effectively won their trilogy as McGregor was unable to stand, let alone continue fighting.

"That's a Doctor Stoppage!"

"Tell them!"

Conor McGregor heard something he didn't like before the official decision.#UFC264 pic.twitter.com/7UNauiqUWj

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) July 11, 2021

On his YouTube show, Chael Sonnen talked about the recently-concluded UFC 264 and the freak accident that had caused the main event to end unceremoniously. Sonnen said:

​

"Maybe you throw shinpads on them. There's a reason we wrap the hands. Why in the hell would we not wrap the shin? It doesn't look good for TV? Says who? You ever been to a soccer game? So many god**** tickets they sell. Think anybody in there cares if they have a little something on their shin?"

McGregor's freak accident is rare and not many fighters have suffered a gruesome leg-break like that inside the octagon. However, it was already the second instance this year after Chris Weidman snapped his leg at UFC 261 as he threw a low kick that was checked. Anderson Silva was the first prominent fighter to suffer the injury back in 2013.

Chael Sonnen's solution to prevent leg breaks

Chael Sonnen added that UFC decision-makers should at least have a conversation about banning leg kicks.

He pointed out that disallowing fighters from using certain maneuvers is nothing new, because moves such as 12-to-6 elbows and heel hooks are illegal in most combat sports organizations.

'The American Gangster' also claimed to have spoken with a doctor who believes the actual octagon was the culprit for McGregor's injury. According to Sonnen, the doctor told him, "The fabric catches and that locks [McGregor's] knee up."

​

"They claim that they've watched that fight over and over and it was absolutely not the check but it was the canvass itself that had something to do with the way Conor McGregor's leg got into the actual octagon and the canvas that covers it," he stated.

Chael Sonnen, however, made it clear that he doesn't entirely agree with that theory.

While Sonnen acknowledged that his suggestions might sound absurd, he said that the UFC clearly needs to do something to address the increasing cases of leg break injuries in the octagon.

Watch Chael Sonnen's full breakdown of Conor McGregor's accident:

​