Clowning: Confidence or fear?

[JC ATOM]

is fighting with your hands down ALWAYS a sign of great confidence or could it also be some kind of fear?
Like giving a smile when you get hit or shit like that...
Mine is an honest question because i know that you must be very sure of yourself to drop your hands but i also know that you know when things aren't going as you wish they would

 

[PancraseForever]

Either fear or alternatively just being psychotic e.g. Robbie Lawler (smiling when hit).

 

[prikoke]

How exactly would it be a sign of fear? It could be a sign of frustration, of being tired, or of being wary of takedowns but why would you drop your hands if you are afraid of getting punched?

 

[Moezao]

There usually isn't much clowning. Putting your hands down is effective to make your opponent come to you so you can counter attack.
That's certainly what Mcgregor and Anderson Silva do.
But sometimes when you don't get the timing you don't hit back, that's what happened to Silva in the Bisping fight. Sometimes you get hit hard when doing that, which is what happened to Mcgregor.
But you always look like a fool when you get hit with hands down or smiling, lol.

 

[JC ATOM]

i dare say...fear of losing face. Yeah i know it's sounds dumb but i kind of get that feeling now and then.

 

[LukeSkyRutten]

is fighting with your hands down ALWAYS a sign of great confidence or could it also be some kind of fear?
Like giving a smile when you get hit or shit like that...
Mine is an honest question because i know that you must be very sure of yourself to drop your hands but i also know that you know when things aren't going as you wish they would

Tactical.

 

[rurouni]

Fear except when Nate Diaz does it.
Nick was scared to death of engaging Silva and clowned out of fear.

 

[Bmurray]

People do that to try and manufacture reactions that may provide openings.

 

[Deleted member 490433]

There's no one answer it depends on the person/situation.

 

[MayhemMonkey]

confidence or tactical. having your hands down can draw your opponent in, which helps set up counter shots. which is what Conor was trying to do, but got a bit over-reliant on doing so

 

[Hasbeen]

is fighting with your hands down ALWAYS a sign of great confidence or could it also be some kind of fear?
Like giving a smile when you get hit or shit like that...
Mine is an honest question because i know that you must be very sure of yourself to drop your hands but i also know that you know when things aren't going as you wish they would

Fighting with your hands down is done to have more reactionary counters and quicker strikes. Most who do that from the start use head and trunk movement as defense. Slipping punches hurts less than covering up, but expends tons of energy.

 

[Bones245n4847]

I'd say fear if they see what the other guy is offering them that night. Silva was absolutely terrified of Weidman after round 1. Silva tried to goad him into some reckless exchanges. Even doing a harlem shake before Weidman shut his lights off.