The MMA Blitz Paradox

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 12/19/2005 6:13pm

Originally Posted by PirateJon

And that's why I mentioned the stoppage vs 8 count. If you LOOK like you're in trouble - fight over. That's why you'll see that tactic work in MMA and in boxing you can either clench or take a knee and the fight goes on.

That's my biggest beef with MMA - they're fighters, let them bang. Ref hint - if the guy is heated when he gets up - you ended it too soon.

Nine times out of ten, I agree with ref stoppages. It's just the occasional premature ref intervention that makes me scratch my head.

I don't generally hate on the refs though, as they are balancing on a razor's edge. It's pretty hard to find the perfect compromise between letting 'em bang and keeping the fighters from taking unnecessary damage. From what I've seen (in the UFC especially), they are more likely to let the big names duke it out than the newer crowd. An exception to this was the Hinkle vs Gannon fight a few months back. That fight makes me wonder if the UFC wasn't trying to send a message to backyard brawlers.

**meng_mao** · Posted On: 3/12/2006 2:16am

Originally Posted by Garbanzo Bean

was the Hinkle vs Gannon fight a few months back. That fight makes me wonder if the UFC wasn't trying to send a message to backyard brawlers.

Serious, Dana tricked Gannon into that one.
"So you wanna be an ultimate fighter?"

**Punisher** · Posted On: 3/12/2006 5:55pm

I have the Silva vs. Belfort fight on DVD and I don't know what people that say the stoppage was premature are talking about.

After he hits the cage, Silva hands are practically at his side and Vitor fires off 5 unanswered punches that Silva doesn't even try to defend. When Silva hits the ground he is clearly limp and unaware that Vitor or Big John are there until several seconds after fight is called.

**Roidie McDouchebag** · Posted On: 3/12/2006 7:45pm

Punisher is 100% correct...LMNAO@anybody thinking THAT was a premature stoppage.

**Yrkoon9** · Posted On: 3/12/2006 8:04pm

I don't care much about particular fighters, including Swick, when talking about the blitz.

I have said several times on this board that the 'blitz' is how you win fights. I don't remember which thread it was on but I went into some detail on how a technical fighter can be easily overwhelmed by pure aggression and throwing bombs. My rule of thumb when FIGHTING is the firstest with the mostest.

I have said before that most people don't train for the blitz. They don't train to do it, and they don't train against it. People would prefer to spar with their technique, control, rythm, and get their rounds in. This is completely contrary to how REAL fights are. Get the first punch in and just go absolutely berserk. Now obviously having some technique in there helps quite a bit.

I think when I talking about this last time it was in during a conversation on 'stand up' fighting. And I said that I don't play tag or counter-fighter. I play blitz. I come at you 100% and you will buckle. The first solid punch almost everyone covers up. Once you are on defense I just open up with a continuous flurry. You are going to have to be one serious Roy Jones Jr ************ to find to slip, bob and weave all that **** and THEN come back with something. 99% of the population just gets crushed under the blitz.

Their are problems with this strategy. The worst being if they weather your storm and you become tired. Then when they come back with their blitz you cannot defend yourself well after spending all your energy. I think I also mentioned previously that a blitz CAN be countered when you open yourself up like that with full offense. But as we can see - the blitz is a powerfull weapon that overwhelms even professional fighters. I have heard people's rebuttle about creating huge openings with that kind of strategy. But usually these guys do a lot of armchair quarterbacking - and aren't real anxious to 'show' how you take advantage of these openings. Because they know regardless they are going to take some punishment either way.

**Roidie McDouchebag** · Posted On: 3/12/2006 8:25pm

Yrkoon is right...real fights are about knocking people the **** out, RIGHT FUCKING NOW, not playing shot-for-shot, round-after-round.

The other great thing about the blitz is, once your opponent is defending your strikes, he becomes easier to clinch with, if you want to clinch, HOW YOU want to clinch, or take down.

I have overwhelmed more skilled people by blitzing, waiting for them to shell to the point I couldn't land effectively, then wrenching them forward and spawling them into a turtle, then knees to the head...I could NEVER expect to do the same thing without that level of aggression.