Jordan Leavitt believes slams should still be legal after vicious KO over Matt Wiman
Jordan Leavitt has heard all the talk that his KO over Matt Wiman should’ve never happened.
At UFC Vegas 16, Leavitt was making his UFC debut against a longtime veteran in Matt Wiman. Immediately, Leavitt got Wiman up and looked to carry him to the corner and slammed him which knocked him out. However, Leavitt makes it clear, he was not looking for the KO.
“That was me bringing him to my corner so I could hear my coaches,” Leavitt said to MyMMANews. “I wanted to have some impact on the slam. A slam is a good body shot as it takes the wind out of you. When I knocked him out it was a nice bonus.”
After the knockout, the debate of whether or not slams should be legal only grew. However, Jordan Leavitt says if slams are no longer legal it hurts wrestlers and Judo artists.
“There are several things a person can do when someone is lifted. They can let go and fall into guard which is the most common. That will also keep you from getting knocked out,” Leavitt explained. “I also didn’t slam him on the back of the head as some suggest, it was the side of the head. I understand why people are calling for it to be banned. But, at the same time, you can break someone’s arms, kick their knees in, knee someone to the head and those are all fine but people are upset with the slam.
“You need to think about it rationally for a few minutes and you will realize it should be a legal move,” Leavitt explained. “If you make it illegal it hinders the wrestlers a lot. You basically make Judo illegal, and sometimes the only way to get a takedown is to pick them up and slam them. So, where do you draw the line? I understand the fear of it, but I think it should be legal.”
Ultimately, the hope for Jordan Leavitt is to build off this win in the early parts of 2021 after his baby is born.
