best technical strikers in MMA

[Jimmy Jazz]

Sure, but it's not like he won a clear decision, the fight was very close. If Hendo had thrown a few more low kicks (he landed almost every one he threw) instead of winding up and whiffing on all those overhand rights, he could've conceivably swung another round his way and won the fight.

eh machida did all the meaningful damage and was totally schooling him by the end of the fight. That judges score those baby leg kicks so highly compared to being punched in the face with a 4 ounce glove , when they are scored low in muay thai really says something

 

[Hotora86]

Machida was very good technical fighter within a narrow area of striking, and that's the problem. Give him what he needs and he's very effective, but there's just too many holes in his game and too many ways to shut him down or blunt his effectiveness. If you intelligently pressure him like Weidman or Rampage, you can take away his space and get him on the fence where he doesn't really have any tools. If you refuse to step into range and just low kick him from the outside like Hendo he can't really do much. Use constant movement & feints like Phil Davis and he has a hard time lining up his straight strikes or stopping the movement.

Machida's style worked great when no one knew how to deal with it, but once opponents smartened up they figured out various ways to beat him.

Some did, some didn't. The "Machida riddle has been solved" slogan has been thrown around since he lost to Rua but look at how many fights he has won since then. Sure, the holes have been identified but that's a loooong way from actually exploiting them in a fight! That's because Machida IS a very good striker.

Also, I get your point but your examples aren't that good - Hendo clearly lost, so did Rampage (he said so himself).

 

[ssullivan80]

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.

Actually, by "JJ" I was referring to Joanna Jedrzejczyk as far as "technical striking" is concerned. As for Holy Holm, yes I think she's "technically" an excellent striker. She's got great footwork, understands distance, throws well placed and well timed strikes, etc. So as a pure technician she's very good but she's not the "Fighter" that Valentina is, just a better technical striker. Being the better technical fighter doesn't necessarily make one the better fighter.

 

[The MM Analyst]

Actually, by "JJ" I was referring to Joanna Jedrzejczyk as far as "technical striking" is concerned. As for Holy Holm, yes I think she's "technically" an excellent striker. She's got great footwork, understands distance, throws well placed and well timed strikes, etc. So as a pure technician she's very good but she's not the "Fighter" that Valentina is, just a better technical striker. Being the better technical fighter doesn't necessarily make one the better fighter.

Valentina beat her by being a better technical striker. That performance was 100% out-technique and out-finessing her. I don't think Holm has good footwork, and she looks like she's never been taught to punch correctly. She's so front-foot heavy on her straight that she has no ability to recover and hangs her head out for counters, the only way she can bail on it is to run through with shifting combos and Valentina would pivot out with a check-hook every time she did. She has no jab, 0 head movement, and her footwork completely falls apart in the pocket. Watch the Pennington fight or any fight where someone comes forward without running themselves and you'll see her breaking stance, losing her balance on her pivots, squaring up, and running backwards.