Boxing vs Muay Thai as a Striking Base in MMA

RAFI BOMB

RAFI BOMB

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After watching Masdival knockout Till, it got me thinking about which striking style is the best base for mma fighters. The common assumption has been that muay thai is the best base and then it can be supplemented with other disciplines such as boxing. But after seeing Masdival vs Till, Masdival vs Cerrone, Diaz vs Cerrone and Rose vs Joanna, it seems like a boxing centric attack might be superior.

Muay thai fighters, or at least many muay thai fighters in mma, seem to lack head movement and seem unable to defend against many boxing attacks. Maybe there are different styles of muay thai, or maybe true muay thai is better equipped to deal with some of the boxing attacks. It just seem like many muay thai centric style mma fighters are lost and confused when facing a boxing centric opponent.

I am not arguing that muay thai doesn't hold value, just that maybe fighters should focus on boxing as a striking base and then supplement it with muay thai instead of the other way around.

Thoughts?
 
Obviously boxing. Max Vs Aldo is another example of that.
 
It's almost like we watch a sport that combines principles of both.
 
Lennox Lewis KO's any version of Ernesto Hoost, even under kickboxing rules

Boxing is superior
 
Plenty of examples of better boxers beating kickboxers in MMA, and kickboxers outstriking better boxers in MMA (e.g. every fucking Nate Diaz loss except for the Conor rematch). No definite answer.

Masvidal's background is in streetfighting but his base is best described as muay thai. He has better boxing than most, but he's using muay thai.
 
Boxing probably just seems better because it's so much more popular and well-known than Muay Thai which means it's better developed. If Muay Thai became as popular as boxing the practical reality of head movement, amongst other things, would probably make itself clear over time.
 
At this stage it doesn't even matter. You better be well rounded at everything or your opponent is going to find holes in your game and end your night quickly.
 
Jesus Christ and how many wrestle boxers have got their ass beat? MT has been more successful but all depends on their 2nd discipline. Also, rules favor wrestle boxers. They take away Muay Thai and BJJ weapons to protect wrestle boxers. Mostly to protect wrestlers. But it weakens MT as a whole which allow for arguments like this one.
 
Eh Till uses a funky hybrid stance. He uses a karate stance so he can throw this ugly straight left
 
SpaceGinger said:
At this stage it doesn't even matter. You better be well rounded at everything or your opponent is going to find holes in your game and end your night quickly.
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Do you think a fighter like Darren Till, incorporates boxing into his training regimen? It seemed like he had a lot of confidence in his muay thai skills and athleticism but in the fight against Masdival he didn't seem to be able to defend well against Masdival's punches. It seems like Till would have, and will moving forward, benefit from some boxing training. With better boxing defense he wouldn't take the same punches he took vs both Woodley and Masdival.

Going back to his Woodley fight, the way he decided to attack right before he got countered, demonstrated a lack of boxing knowledge. A boxing coach could fix that issue.
 
Why do you think that Rose vs. Joanna sheds any light on the issue of the value of boxing as a striking base? As far as I know, neither woman has a boxing base.

Joanna has a Muay Thai base.

Rose began with Taekwondo and karate, and then trained kickboxing, but has no particular boxing background of which I am aware.
 
RAFI BOMB said:
Do you think a fighter like Darren Till, incorporates boxing into his training regimen? It seemed like he had a lot of confidence in his muay thai skills and athleticism but in the fight against Masdival he didn't seem to be able to defend well against Masdival's punches. It seems like Till would have, and will moving forward, benefit from some boxing training. With better boxing defense he wouldn't take the same punches he took vs both Woodley and Masdival.

Going back to his Woodley fight, the way he decided to attack right before he got countered, demonstrated a lack of boxing knowledge. A boxing coach could fix that issue.
Click to expand...
How would a boxing coach fix this issue?
 
Blayt7hh said:
Yeah, two whole examples. Case closed then.

Any of you heard of Jon Jones?
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Yes. His style is neither boxing or Muay Thai. It's pretty unique.

Ironically he is most susceptible to boxing, ie Gus 1 and the only success Cormier had was pretty much boxing.
 
If you don't have a Chin: Boxing

If you do have a Chin: Boxing

Masvidal smoked Cowboy another Kick Boxer/Muay Thai specialist.

Holloway's been feeding strikers 1 2's for years now.
 
Blazmo said:
Boxing probably just seems better because it's so much more popular and well-known than Muay Thai which means it's better developed. If Muay Thai became as popular as boxing the practical reality of head movement, amongst other things, would probably make itself clear over time.
Click to expand...

To your point, coaching might be a major issue. With boxing there are many high quality coaches in the U.S. and in certain parts of Europe. With muay thai, I would think the best coaches are either in Thailand or the Netherlands (depending on style). The muay thai coaching in the U.S. for example might be on average a crude depiction of the correct techniques.
 
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