Why Does Elias Theodorou Throw So Many Front Kicks That Don't Come Close to Striking His Opponent?

Leonard Haid

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In every fight he does this. To keep his opponent at a distance? Seems like a waste of energy. As a non-fighter I don't get this, but there must be a reason for it.
 
Because he can't allow his opponent to invade his hair's personal space

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Instead of paying a striking coach he got a hair stylist instead.
 
In every fight he does this. To keep his opponent at a distance? Seems like a waste of energy. As a non-fighter I don't get this, but there must be a reason for it.

Here's my guess.

By throwing out long attacks aimed at the opponent's centerline, he's both trying to establish the fight he wants and take control of it. First, the kicks make it look like he's always prepared to stop an incoming opponent if they try to break the range at which he wants to fight. Second, it helps him control the outside range he wants the fight at. He's inviting them to kick with him and if they do, he'll try to beat them at it. If they don't, which is both what he wants and a more likely response to the fakes, especially if the opponent thinks he has to "avoid" Elias's range to beat him, then the opponent doesn't fight at but instead concedes Elias's range to him. When that happens, Elias can posture at his range which gives him confidence and conditions the opponent to wait on him because they're not responding to the fakes but not being aggressive either (and if they are, he can turn a fake into a real strike at any moment), he can measure his opponent, and he can tangibly control the action.
 
Rather useless IMO(but not completely.. end of post explains), "waste of energy" as you said. If you want to fight at range you gotta let your opponent come inside that range. Teep/pushkicks like this are good IMO but should be saved for closer distances/when the opponent tries to charge in.

Good part of it is ofcourse to establish control/domination.. if youre good at it you will frustrate your opponent a lot and steal some of his fight-spirit. But, if you want to fight on the outside it's IMO 10x better to NOT force your opponent to make those charges to get close.. gotta leave at least 1 door/window slightly open, if there's no open doors -> your opponent will have no choice but to blast through any/all doors.
 
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