Just curious why we don't see fighters use it or even train in this discipline more often in mma. I have seen a few nasty cartwheel type capoeira ko in a mma fight, Anderson silva clearly uses some capoeira based movements in his fights and I'd say he's doing alright. I'd just personally think it will be tough to fight someone with good all around skills mixed in with the rhythm and movements of a high level capoeira background ala Andy. Thoughts?
The guy who was delivering some highlight-reel carthweel kicks was Marcus "Lelo" Aurelio. He just lost in his Bellator debut. Cezar "Mutante" Ferreira, the TUF Brazil winner, trains in capoeira. Andre Gusmao, who went 0-2 in the UFC, was a big capoeira guy. There just hasn't been a lot of success in the big leagues.
Seagal has stated many times that it was a modified front kick that he has been working on for many years now. Barboza's is a tkd kick u see in tkd tournaments 100x in an event.
Capoeira is really exciting in mma but a fighter isn't safe using it in the cage unless he or she also has a very strong ground game due to the likelihood of being taken down or just slipping using those movements. Lelo's striking is successful because he's also great at jiu jitsu. Check around you can definitely find some capoeira practitioners in mma.
I think if anyone can effectively use complete capoeira stances and movements, it would be Anderson Silva. As if he wasn't hard enough already to time and premeditate lol.
There was a Chute Boxe Vs Capoeira event and all the Capoeira guys got stopped by strikes in the first. http://www.sherdog.com/events/CP-X-CB-Capoeira-vs-Chute-Boxe-487
For how many minutes have you watched a "roda de capoeira"? I can also see both of those kicks in any good roda de capeira a bunch of times. Also, both Silva and Barboza have a background in capoeira. Spider's kick in special, despite seagull's marketing.
masakazu imanari vs jean silva why you should not use capoeira kicks to a ground opponent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce0m8Buc86o
As alot of people have mentioned earlier, Capoeira isn't easy to apply to MMA due to the need for space and the high probability that you'll get taken down but there's something to be said for the great dexterity/flexibility and speed with wich you can throw kicks one can get from training capoeira. So it seems like it could be very useful atleast in an indirect way.
Pettis has used a few moves during his career. I guess a lot of guys don't utilize it much because it is high risk. Sure all that flashy movement might throw your opponent off enabling you to blindside him with a crushing kick.....or, more likely, it'll get you taken down and smashed.
Folks often think capoeira is fast and explosive kicks or mainly think Capoeira Regional is the only form of Capoeira. However in Capoeira Angola, I think it may be more adaptable to MMA through its maneuvering, footwork, being close to the ground, striking from crazy angles... Then again...elements of Capoeira are there. Martial Arts are all relative.
