best technical strikers in MMA

[Sano]

I dont actually think Barbozas boxing defence is that bad at all, its definatly well above average and, to be fair, I dont think that anybody in MMA has the defence to cover a chin as shaky as Edsons. His head movement, jab and pivots are really underrated, Mark Henry really did a good job on him,

Good point, his chin might be the actual problem. He certainly has gotten better at recognising that and not staying in the pocket as much.

 

[AndyMaBobs]

IMO they are technical issues. Overeem is a great fighter on the front foot, give him time & space to pick his shots and he'll land vicious strikes with incredible accuracy. But defensively he's just crap, throw more than a couple strikes at him at one time and he starts going to pieces. He'll put the earmuffs on and get backed into the fence where he gets teed off on and finished or run for his life while trying to reset. This happens every time someone an opponent puts some pressure on him, I don't think it's mental, it's bad habits & technical flaws.

I don't follow much outside of the UFC so my list is UFC only.
Max Holloway's results speak for itself. His strike selection, ability to make adjustments on the fly, strike effectively at any range going forward or backward, and use of feints, timing changes, and setups makes him the total package.

Valentina Shevchenko is my other pick. She uses many of the techniques & concepts that are seen only at the elite level in men's MMA and she's doing things which the men haven't figured out yet, like how to counter the push kick to the knee. The parries into counters made famous by Garbrandt? She did it to Holly. Hand traps & guard rips used by Overeem, Saki, and other Dutch kickboxers? She uses those as well. She still hasn't fully adapted her striking from Muay Thai/kickboxing to MMA, but if she does her division is fucked.

I'm not sure I agree, he doesn't really put the earmuffs on anymore. I think his losses can largely be attributed to him being dumb and walking into front kicks and shit like that. Also I agree with youto a point on Shevchenko, she is very good - I know its easy to argue that she doesn't have as good a competition, but beating a top level boxer with the same strategy that boxer likes to employ is pretty good.

 

[Ilk]

Saki.

 

[MightyMX]

I would say that a technical striker is something like a chess player. Have great set ups, combos, defense, going from defense to counter, have a high fight IQ.

 

[Paradigm]

I'm really on the fence about JJ being one of the best strikers in the sport. You cant argue with the fact that she's facing far lesser competition than male fighters but the range of aptitudes shes shown is truly noteworthy. Barring her competiton she's still shown skills that many male MMA fighters barely hint that they've ever learned; for example, I think its safe to say that her pivots and movement near to the cage is better than JDS or Pettis or that her jab is better than Cerrone's. Fuck, I bet that 90% of the UFC roster have never even practiced countering a left hook with a reverse switch kick.

Shes also particularly mean and vindictive in a way thats rare even among elite fighters and makes you suffer for your successes.

What is a reverse switch kick? Switching stances and then throwing the switch kick?

 

[Soul Rebel 2]

What is a reverse switch kick? Switching stances and then throwing the switch kick?

It's a switch kick where the switch comes from stepping back with lead leg. Not an official term but it's what I call the move

 

[MightyMX]

What is a reverse switch kick? Switching stances and then throwing the switch kick?

check kickboxer Daniel Ghita, he used to do it a lot

 

[Paradigm]

It's a switch kick where the switch comes from stepping back with lead leg. Not an official term but it's what I call the move

Oh...sounds like when you pull the lead leg back to make someone miss a leg kick and then kick the back of their thigh (or back, I suppose).

 

[Uchi Mata]

It's a switch kick where the switch comes from stepping back with lead leg. Not an official term but it's what I call the move

It's a really nice way to counter the jab. Fade with a half switch step dropping the lead back just enough to get out of punch range, and then kick.

 

[rmongler]

Many even think he could have finished Cruz if he did less dancing.

I think if he did less dancing, Cruz would not have been motivated to chase after him like that in the first place.

I think the mental game was a big factor in that fight, as it was in many of Silva's fights (and McGregor's fights).

 

[Practical Goat]

Nick Diaz

 

[Quebec Nick]

Conor is a really good kickboxer for MMA

Mighty Mouse is the slickest Muy Thai fighter with Joanna

Cody is the best boxer

 

[orca]

Prime Lyoto machida and anderson silva. David teymur. Tj dillashaw.connor mctapper

 

[a guy]

I don't think Overeem's problems are technical, I think they're fight IQ and cardio problems.

He's been knocked out too many times in the first round for me to agree that it's just cardio. Maybe fight IQ is valid, but that's part of being a good technical striker.

At the end of the day, I just don't see any way to justify a guy who's had such mixed success striking in the worst division being ranked as the most technical striker, or even in the top 10. There are too many guys who have fought much better competition and haven't been knocked out at all, or at least not knocked out 10 times.

 

[a guy]

I'm not sure getting outstruck means that you're not a technical striker. I mean, kickboxers outstrike kickboxers all the time - and there have been times where lesser strikers have outstruck better ones through certain means, doesn't mean that they're more technical in of itself.

Maybe I'm taking the question to literally, but just my two cents

It depends how it happens and who's doing it, but getting outstruck is a very strong argument against a fighter being one of the best technical strikers.

 

[Paradigm]

It depends how it happens and who's doing it, but getting outstruck is a very strong argument against a fighter being one of the best technical strikers.

Like you said...circumstances matter. It also depends on someone's definition of "getting outstruck."

Lyoto gets outstruck by his opponents in a good amount of his fights. I'm not sure anyone would argue that Romero and Weidman are more technical than him. If they did, I'd probably see it as a sign to discount their opinion.

 

[a guy]

Like you said...circumstances matter. It also depends on someone's definition of "getting outstruck."

Lyoto gets outstruck by his opponents in a good amount of his fights. I'm not sure anyone would argue that Romero and Weidman are more technical than him. If they did, I'd probably see it as a sign to discount their opinion.

Yea stylistic matchups have to be taken into consideration. However, if you lose to the same style multiple times, that counts against you. If you can't apply your techniques against all different styles then you don't qualify as one of the best technical strikers IMO.

 

[ssullivan80]

who do you think they are? (provide examples of skills showcase, if you can)

Ever? Tyrone Spong and James Toney........ As a pure MMA fighter Vitor Belfort is a pretty damn good striker, age has just caught up with him but when he was younger he was one of the most explosive and technical strikers in MMA.

Currently IMO - Demetrius Johnson is the best "technical" MMA striker. JJ and Holly Holm are both excellent technical strikers.

 

[kenji goh]

Ever? Tyrone Spong and James Toney........ As a pure MMA fighter Vitor Belfort is a pretty damn good striker, age has just caught up with him but when he was younger he was one of the most explosive and technical strikers in MMA.

Currently IMO - Demetrius Johnson is the best "technical" MMA striker. JJ and Holly Holm are both excellent technical strikers.

Holly Holm and Jon Jones? Really?
If Holm is an excellent striker then what does that make Valentina Shevchenko?
JJ's boxing is horrible, but he is very well rounded so I can get why someone would say that. He has a big bag of tools as a striker.

 

[Gabicho]

Not the Diaz brothers. They do have the boxing, but no kicking. They also don't have very good defense - they get hit a lot, particularly from kicks - but they can get away with it because of their endurance.

Some of my top picks:
Tyrone Spong
Mousasi
Dominick Cruz
Mark Hunt
T.J. Dillashaw
McGregor
Masvidal
Albert Tumenov
Shlemenko