The sport of mixed martial arts is great in that it allows for a huge variety of techniques. Some are flashy, some are basics, but they all serve a purpose. Obviously the fans love to see flashy techniques. Spinning back kicks, Superman punches, cartwheel kicks and so on are for sure a beautiful thing to watch. The problem with these techniques, though, is that they’re high-risk, high-reward techniques.
It’s very easy to get caught after missing one of these techniques if they’re not executed properly. For instance, the latest UFC Middleweight championship fight between then-champ Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold saw the former throw a risky spinning back kick; Weidman missed it and eventually paid for it after Rockhold jumped on the opportunity to take him to the ground and brutally pound him.
More often than not, you can’t go wrong using the basics, and that’s available in all sports. The most effective techniques are usually the simplest. That doesn’t mean they’re easy to execute, though. Even the basics need sharp skills, but when done correctly, the following techniques are arguably the most effective for MMA fighting, and they’re beautiful to look at on top of that.
3) The elbow strike
Maybe the primary weapon used by Muay Thai fighters, the elbow strike is a devastating techniques. You might be aware of Jon Jones’ beautiful display of elbows. Jones frequently uses a wide array of elbows strikes, from straight elbows to spinning back elbows.
Many MMA fighters have only started using them fairly recently, for a reason I’ll admit I have a hard time figuring out. Elbows are effective in that the impact zone is reduced, thus making the blow more effective. An elbow on the jaw is nearly always an instant KO-maker. And they can easily cut too, greatly handicapping your opponent.
Elbows are tricky as they can get past one’s guard fairly easily and do great damage. Overall, the elbow strike is a striker’s best friend.
2) The leg kick
Footwork is nothing short of crucial in MMA, thus attacking your opponent’s legs is a smart way of inflicting big-time damage. The most frequently used in MMA include the Muay Thai-inspired leg-kick and the oblique kick.
The classic leg kick is brutal, and can be used as a means to annihilate your opponent’s ability to move well. A UFC fighter famous for his devastating leg kicks is José Aldo. Most of his opponents have said that getting hit by a heavy leg kick is like getting by a baseball bat, so you can see how powerful it is. Oblique kicks are also dangerous.
Regular leg kicks and oblique kicks are not that hard to pull off, though they demand great timing and technique. Not everyone can throw them the right way, but those who do usually achieve great success inside the cage.
1) The jab
If there is one technique that is super effective and very rarely executed right in MMA it might just be the good ole jab. So what gives? If jabbing is so effective why is that rare to see it done correctly in MMA?
Well, part of the reason jabs are under-utilized is because many people just don’t see jabs as heavy strikes and simply dismiss using them. Which is unfortunate, because although, yes, a jab is not as heavy as an overhand, it actually serves many, many purposes.
A jab can be used to hurt your opponent, break his nose or orbital bone, gauge striking range, feint, confuse him, and set up heavier strikes. Yes, the jab is a CRUCIAL part of fighting. Simply put, if you can’t jab well, you’re just inhibiting your own striking acumen.
Georges St-Pierre showed just how the jab is effective back at UFC 124 against Josh Koscheck. St-Pierre kept peppering a helpless Koscheck with jabs for five rounds. The result? It was not even a contest. St-Pierre destroyed Koscheck en route to a one-sided victory and broke his orbital bone in the process.
Jabbing makes sense, when you think about it. It’s the shortest way to get to your opponent’s face (or body), after all. Jabs are under-utilized, period, but there might be hope. Lately more fighters have started to work on having a great jab, and I hope this trend isn’t going to stop anytime soon.
