After one the biggest purchases in MMA history, changes are slowly coming to Strikeforce. The product will remain almost entirely the same for now, but one change is coming immediately. Strikeforce will now use the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.

Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta announced today during a conference call that the San Jose based promotion will adopt the new rule set. Up until now, Strikeforce had used a modified rules that forbid elbow strikes on the ground.

The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts were set out by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission in 2000. The rules allow elbows on the ground. The leading promotion at the time, Pride FC, used a different rule set. The Pride rules banned elbow strikes to the head, but also allowed stomps, soccer kicks and knees to the head of a grounded opponent.

Zuffa continues to push for more states to sanction the sport under the direction of Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner.

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