What's the vaseline for?

Question

In combat sports, I understand the purpose of the cut guy putting vaseline on a cut to stop the bleeding (I think that's why, right?), but it seems he puts some on the bony parts of the fighter's face before he even gets in the ring. What's the purpose of putting it on beforehand?

Answer 1

As someone has answered to make strikes, punches, and kicks slide off easier.  All fighting equipment has seams and or some kind of edge or fastener that might be or is exposed.  All of those things have the ability to cut, slice open, or cause an abrasion which can result in the fight being stopped.  I have seen a person's face sliced open from the edge of a Velcro elastic strap of a safety punch before in a point tournament even that required several stitches.  These are freak type accidents but still with punches, strikes, kicks coming from different angles all pose a risk of causing such accidents so the vasoline helps reduce this risk.  If you ever see a kickboxing match, boxing match, or some other full contact type fighting where vasoline is not put on before hand you can really tell after the first round and the scratches, abrassions, and cuts that the gloves and gear that is being worn can otherwise cause will be very evident.

Answer 2

So the gloves won't rip the skin.  It helps the gloves slip off their face.