What I have been seeing for a long time

**atheistmantis** · Posted On: 8/29/2011 11:32pm

Why are many mma fighters still backing straight up instead of circling away from their opponents power hand? The other thing that I hardly ever see is an MMA fighter holding his ground when his opponent moves forword and deliver a stiff straight arm one two counter. I feel that there is just way too much backing up in MMA even at this day and age. IMO still a lot of room for improvement. Lots of wasted energy. Any thoughts?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 8/29/2011 11:33pm

Psst read the rules before you post. This is not an investigation into a shady teacher.

**atheistmantis** · Posted On: 8/29/2011 11:42pm

No. Of course not. This is a general observation that I have made after years of watching many UFC, Strikeforce, and KOTC matches. Before any of this I was a huge boxing fan. Right after, there was full contact Karate in the Chuck Norris days etc. See where I am coming from? Just making an informed observation and asking feedback from those in the know. Thats all.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 8/29/2011 11:49pm

Okay, let me try again. You posted this thread in the investigative forum called MABS. This is where alleged phonies are scrutinized. Your question deals with MMA therefore, it is an MMA thread asking about something MMA a related. Guess what forum we are in now? The MMA forum because I moved your thread.

So, what I said was

Psst read the rules before you post. This is not an investigation into a shady teacher.

Originally Posted by hot and bothered

See where I am coming from? Just making an informed observation

Right back at ya sparky.

**atheistmantis** · Posted On: 8/30/2011 12:02am

Am I in the right spot now or not? Please tell me. Exactly what is the name of the forum that I should be in. As you might remember I did have a right temporal intracranial bleed three years ago but I love MMA so please be patient. I will be grateful. Thanks.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 8/30/2011 12:14am

Currently it is in the correct forum.

**atheistmantis** · Posted On: 8/30/2011 12:18am

Thank you so much. Any thoughts on my post?

**bobyclumsyninja** · Posted On: 8/30/2011 12:25am

Originally Posted by atheistmantis

Am I in the right spot now or not? Please tell me. Exactly what is the name of the forum that I should be in. As you might remember I did have a right temporal intracranial bleed three years ago but I love MMA so please be patient. I will be grateful. Thanks.

You're in the right place. Click on forums, and look at the list. You'll see a brief description of each section. The "Stickies" or rule-explaining messages are at the top of each forums thread listings. Site > Forum > Thread > Post

As to your original post...I agree, there's a lot of backing up. Some of it is to make opponents miss, in the manner of Fedor, or Anderson Silva. The upper level fighters in mma, generally do move around, as well as in-and-out, but as in any sport, those that aren't as good, or as well trained, have worse instincts and muscle memory for actual all-out. That and injuries affect tactics. Lingering injuries affect fighters' decisions.

Sometimes it's a tactic, sometimes it's for lack of tactics, but it's not always a bad or counterproductive thing.

Another factor is, committing to strikes too completely, can get an mma competitor tackled, so they sometimes tend to throw more probing strikes unless their opponent is covering up, and/or they're fairly sure they can stuff the takedown.

One tactic to get a takedown, is to throw punches high, and then when the opponent reacts to this drawing the guard, and the attention upwards, shoot for a single or double leg takedown, or a bodylock/clinch or something. The awareness of this, keeps some fighters from automatically throwing high and hard, when the opponent advances. Like chess, there are levels, and then there are levels.

**atheistmantis** · Posted On: 8/30/2011 1:17am

I agree completly. Holding not backing up and shooting a quick one two counter punch should only be attempted when fighting an opponent with not much of a ground game. And of course one must always look to be ready to stuff the take down as you said. I would't try it too many times I would mix it up with other things but I would certainly circle away from the power side of my opponents arms and legs whenever feasible. I'm too damn old to do it myself but you'd be surprised what you can learn by studying the fighters.

**Yamabushi7** · Posted On: 8/30/2011 4:51pm

Great observation. There may be just to much to learn in MMA and no one seems to have told them "keep a big puncher turning in a circle to nullify his punching power". An MMA fighter has to be able to defend many other ways of attack so they spend time on ground game and submissions, and not spinning big punchers until they are drunk before mugging them Former heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes put on a classic clinic of spinning a big puncher when he fought Ernie Shavers. Is there someone who could be considered a tricky counter puncher in MMA?