Why Does Thompson Refuse to Put his Hands Up?

[ArmenianAssasin]

hands down, man down

He's constantly not putting his hands up after finishing his strikes --- pretty much why he got caught by pettis and in previous fights

I understand his movement is great and he moves out of the way of most but seems like something easily fixable

Can someone explain to me what the advantage of this is besides the fact that he's used to this style due to years of karate striking

 

[GSP_37]

Conserving energy for use for fast twitch offense? Like Star Trek turning off shields to divert energy to the laser weapons?

 

[loyalyolayal]

He sacrifices defense for mobility. Like a Roy Jones or an Anderson Silva. If you rely too much on reflexes, it will betray you when you're older.

 

[kflo]

hands down, man down

He's constantly not putting his hands up after finishing his strikes --- pretty much why he got caught by pettis and in previous fights

I understand his movement is great and he moves out of the way of most but seems like something easily fixable

Can someone explain to me what the advantage of this is besides the fact that he's used to this style due to years of karate striking

In the first gif his hand is indeed up to block. It’s just not easy to block and better defense to use distance and footwork, which his style is usually effective doing. He’d never been knocked out before Superman showtime.

 

[Michaelangelo]

he didn’t want to get a 3 piece and soda

 

[Frode Falch]

Muscle memory

 

[Franklin U.]

With his style of fighting, it gives his opponents something to think about if you're going try and take him down.

Its actually common sense really- karate/mma= being in best position to negate.

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

Muscle memory

The correct answer

 

[ArmenianAssasin]

In the first gif his hand is indeed up to block. It’s just not easy to block and better defense to use distance and footwork, which his style is usually effective doing. He’d never been knocked out before Superman showtime.

But its clearly a major hole in his game and he's been hit before because of it -- even the commentators constantly mention it

if his coaches worked on fixing it BEFORE he got got knock out he probably would of beat Pettis easily last night

 

[Druken_Vovchanchyn]

The reason is simple. He wants all of his attacks to look the same all the time. That’s why there isn’t any wind up and they all start from the same stance/hand positioning.

It allows allows him to leap in and out using his arms for balance as well.

I agree though it clearly isn’t the brightest idea to fight that way but he’s been ktfo once in 80 pro fights

 

[ABSthetics]

Conserving energy for use for fast twitch offense? Like Star Trek turning off shields to divert energy to the laser weapons?

 

[kflo]

But its clearly a major hole in his game and he's been hit before because of it -- even the commentators constantly mention it

if his coaches worked on fixing it BEFORE he got got knock out he probably would of beat Pettis easily last night

Honestly that punch didn’t land because his hands were down....

He lost focus and sense of distance.

If it was such a major hole he would have been knocked out before last night.

 

[Rebel_LioN]

I don’t understand this with certain fighters. I put my hands down all the time if I want to move with some fluidity or I want to hit a certain angle, but more often than not I have my hands up.

What’s wrong with putting your hands up to block your face every FEW sequences, THEN go ahead and go back to having your hands DOWN.

 

[Kenny Powerth]

Like @Frode Falch mentioned, it’s more of muscle memory/learned habits. WB said he started karate at the age of 6, and he’s now 36; according to my calculations that’s 30 years of practicing that.


And in his defense, it works 99% of the time. Look at his karate/kickboxing records, it’s impeccable. This was the first time he ever got stopped by strikes.

 

[Paladin]

hands down, man down

He's constantly not putting his hands up after finishing his strikes --- pretty much why he got caught by pettis and in previous fights

I understand his movement is great and he moves out of the way of most but seems like something easily fixable

Can someone explain to me what the advantage of this is besides the fact that he's used to this style due to years of karate striking

He is a great striker but keeping his hands down is a Sloppy striking technique that no one in his camp seems to have guts to tell him not to.

 

[LoneLynx]

Because Karate

 

[LZD]

Because by having his hands lower his shots come from low angles, including from below the eye line of opponents with their hands up, meaning they don't see the shots coming as easily.

Pro boxers do it all the time, albeit differently in accordance with their sport.

Fighters also get KOd with their hands up all the time too, and we don't question that. Often they get KOd because their hands were up and they didn't see the shot coming

Everything has a risk and reward and some take greater risks, albeit Thompson's is a very controlled risk.

 

[JSN]

damn who dat?

 

[A.S. Deep]

hands down, man down

He's constantly not putting his hands up after finishing his strikes --- pretty much why he got caught by pettis and in previous fights

I understand his movement is great and he moves out of the way of most but seems like something easily fixable

Can someone explain to me what the advantage of this is besides the fact that he's used to this style due to years of karate striking

Do you even karate bro?

 

[LZD]

He is a great striker but keeping his hands down is a Sloppy striking technique that no one in his camp seems to have guts to tell him not to.

Nope. See post above.