So I’m sitting here watching the UFC. The fights are pretty good but I see something that is lacking in some fights…DEFENSE. This is something that drives me bananas about watching UFC fights. Lack of head movement and lack of overall defense. Now, I do understand that the UFC isn’t Boxing so you can’t be ducking your head down to your knees or anything like that but you have to move your had side to side and do higher ducking technique.
The most basic of defensive skills to work on and master would be slipping your head side to side, ducking under hooks and fading away from the cross, uppercut and round kick among some strikes. For MMA I don’t feel like shielding is as big a deal because you leave yourself open to takedowns when you shield kicks a lot.
Who are the great ones fighting in the UFC that have the defense down? Hmmmm…..GSP comes to mind, Anderson Silva of course. Watch films on those guys. What GSP and AS have in common too is amazing timing. They time counter attacks so well and that all comes from sharp defense. Dominic Cruz would be upset if I didn’t mention his name when it comes to defense in the UFC.
You want to know something that will keep you safe but isn’t really even defense? Use your jab! Stick your jab in the guys face and keep him away with it. If you control the distance with the jab it’s going to be pretty hard to let the guy get off on any good combos. Work that jab like crazy.
Ok that’s tonight’s UFC lesson. Defense folks!
Defense for the UFC