Being tall/long is not a cheat code for striking defense.

[achoo42]

"Jon Jones isn't that good, he's just sticks out his hands"
"Adesanya isn't that good, he's just long"
"Sean O'Malley hardly gets hit because he fights midgets"

I'm not even that much of a fan of these guys but I'm sick of hearing things like this to downplay their skill.

Let's take a look at some of the proportionally taller/longer guys throughout UFC history:

• Chito Vera: Walking punching bag.
• Kevin Holland: Walking punching bag.
• Dan Hooker: The New Zealand Zombie
• Neil Magny: Lol.
• Stefan Struve: Walking highlight reel
• Johnny Walker: ^
• Jai Herbert: Negative strike differential
• Shane Burgos: 6.78 strikes absorbed per minute
• James Vick: No explanation needed.

If all you need to do is stick out your hands and then no one can hit you, all of these guys would be doing that.

Obviously there's something else that they're doing to avoid getting hit. People just see the height and go "of course he wins, he's so much taller than everyone else."

 

[usernamee]

I NEED AN EXPLANATION FOR JAMES VICK

 

[USA!USA!]

"Jon Jones isn't that good, he's just sticks out his hands"
"Adesanya isn't that good, he's just long"
"Sean O'Malley hardly gets hit because he fights midgets"

I'm not even that much of a fan of these guys but I'm sick of hearing things like this to downplay their skill.

Let's take a look at some of the proportionally taller/longer guys throughout UFC history:

• Chito Vera: Walking punching bag.
• Kevin Holland: Walking punching bag.
• Dan Hooker: The New Zealand Zombie
• Neil Magny: Lol.
• Stefan Struve: Walking highlight reel
• Johnny Walker: ^
• Jai Herbert: Negative strike differential
• Sean Woodson: 4.19 strikes absorbed per minute.
• James Vick: No explanation needed.

If all you need to do is stick out your hands and then no one can hit you, all of these guys would be doing that.

Obviously there's something else that they're doing to avoid getting hit. People just see the height and go "of course he wins, he's so much taller than everyone else."

The people who say those things are fat keyboard warriors

 

[mmafan559]

jon jones is really fucking good and a cheater

 

[Domitian]

jon jones is really fucking good and a cheater

And has made millions and suffered no real consequences other than fans knowing he's a juicer. Cheating pays.

 

[Barteh]

Stefan Struve would be the GOAT is being tall was a cheat.

 

[Luthien]

Struve is indeed the more glaring example

 

[Rataria]

Missed a big one. Nate Diaz. He typically has the height and reach advantage

 

[AmonTobin]

Kevin Holland is a punching bag?
I've never heard of it being referred to as a cheat code but I'm of the belief that a height and reach advantage is still a great advantage to have.
Stefan Struve is a good example of a fighter not taking full advantage of this. Sean Woodson doesn't fit your list. He's had lots of success with his reach.

 

[nonoob]

There is a major advantage in being taller and longer - physics will agree.

That advantage is neutralized once the trained smaller warrior's game plan is enacted.


It doesn't all depend on the size of the dog in the fight, it can be dependent on the mindset, heart, and skill and in the smaller dog.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

 

[PurpleDrank]

"Jon Jones isn't that good, he's just sticks out his hands"
"Adesanya isn't that good, he's just long"
"Sean O'Malley hardly gets hit because he fights midgets"

I'm not even that much of a fan of these guys but I'm sick of hearing things like this to downplay their skill.

Let's take a look at some of the proportionally taller/longer guys throughout UFC history:

• Chito Vera: Walking punching bag.
• Kevin Holland: Walking punching bag.
• Dan Hooker: The New Zealand Zombie
• Neil Magny: Lol.
• Stefan Struve: Walking highlight reel
• Johnny Walker: ^
• Jai Herbert: Negative strike differential
• Sean Woodson: 4.19 strikes absorbed per minute.
• James Vick: No explanation needed.

If all you need to do is stick out your hands and then no one can hit you, all of these guys would be doing that.

Obviously there's something else that they're doing to avoid getting hit. People just see the height and go "of course he wins, he's so much taller than everyone else."

Holland and Woodson have good defense, especially woodson

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

Like all things MMA there are stylistic benefits and shortcomings to being tall and short depending on your game.

It you’re too short then closing the void becomes next to impossible, if you’re too tall you are so open to get hit to the body/be taken down because of frame.

For every Izzy/Jones there is a Volk/DC, it really depends on your composition of technical skills and style.

 

[Your Account]

I NEED AN EXPLANATION FOR JAMES VICK

James Vick was built like a giraffe in the lightweight division—he could practically punch you from across the cage. But the thing is, just having long limbs isn’t enough. You’ve got to know how to use them. Instead of playing 'keep away,' Vick often forgot that his head was still in the fight and left it out there like it was asking for an autograph. Opponents like Justin Gaethje didn’t mind—they rushed in, ignored the ‘arms-only’ defense, and treated Vick’s chin like it was the snooze button on an alarm clock. His reach was great, but his footwork ans head movement ? Not so much.

 

[JBJ was here]

Longer limbs mean you can land a strike from further away but also mean your strikes are inherently slower. A lot of long fighters seem to forget the second part and pay for it. There's a reason Jon Jones throws a lot of straight punches, straight kicks, and elbows and relatively few traditional power punches and kicks, and it's not because he lacks power; they're quicker strikes to land.

 

[pride was pro wrestling]

James Vick was built like a giraffe in the lightweight division—he could practically punch you from across the cage. But the thing is, just having long limbs isn’t enough. You’ve got to know how to use them. Instead of playing 'keep away,' Vick often forgot that his head was still in the fight and left it out there like it was asking for an autograph. Opponents like Justin Gaethje didn’t mind—they rushed in, ignored the ‘arms-only’ defense, and treated Vick’s chin like it was the snooze button on an alarm clock. His reach was great, but his footwork ans head movement ? Not so much.

good post man

 

[tritestill]

This here is empirical, substantive, and conclusive

 

[filthybliss]

Not a cheat code but it helps. There are ways to counter a long armed Striker.

 

[achoo42]

Kevin Holland is a punching bag?

Holland and Woodson have good defense

I think he had average/normal defense for the most part but against MVP and Wonderboy they couldn't miss.

 

[RedDevilFan]

Anything used properly is an advantage. There are equal advantages as there are disadvantages with being tall and lanky as there is with being short and stocky.

Jones use to get hit a lot when he was a rookie coming into MMA. Because of his lanky size, he was at a disadvantage inside the pocket and so on. You can watch Jones fist UFC fights, he use to walk into punches. What made him such an extravagant rookie was his wrestling talent, which wre wrestling displays,such as he would suplex fighters in the cage. Jones use to be very creative, but he would eat a lot of punches. Jackson trained jones on how to fight long and stay long.

Similar to izzy who had to learn how to utilize his physical gifts. Without that knowledge you are a sitting duck when a fighter who knows how to fight inside the pocket gets a hold of you. You have to learn how to do these things, and these are thing jones and izzy learned how to use to their advantage. But there are tradeoffs, I am sure jones would love to have KO power, and would love to be a power wrestler. He would probably trade long arms for KO power and the physical strength of Cormier.