How many more three point shots would be made in the NBA if they tripled the circumference of the rim? How much would shot accuracy improve? In short, a whole lot. It’d be much easier to sink baskets because the new target is significantly larger.

It’s baffling that punches and kicks to the body aren’t thrown with greater frequency in mixed martial arts. The torso presents a much larger target than the head which means you’re more likely to land your strikes.

There are many benefits in landing shots to the body; one of the most popular is to sap your opponent’s endurance. A few nice shots to the ribs will chip away at the energy levels of your foe.

Focusing on the body can also create defensive confusion. If an opponent is getting blasted to the body, naturally he’ll begin to lower his hands in order to protect himself. This is usually when a knockout blow to the head occurs.

When fighters fall in love with the knockout, they tend to primarily focus on head hunting. A liver shot can produce the same canvas crashing action. In the clip below, we see a perfect example of how going to the body can finish fights.

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The video begins near the end of the first round of Karol Bedorf and Rolles Gracie’s bout. Gracie tries to create distance by pumping a jab, as he extends his punch he leaves his body exposed. At over 250 pounds, Bedorf gets a slight running start as he launches a thudding kick to the liver.

Gracie attempts to initiate another striking exchange until his body experiences a delayed reaction to the kick. Once the blow registered, he slowly crumpled to the mat. Bedorf then followed up with several ground strikes until his victory was sealed.