Seems controlled which is okay. I'm guessing they told him to keep it controlled since he's from your coach's old gym.
Like we've been saying in the previous threads, despite being labelled as "hard sparring", nerves, adrenaline surging, it ends up being a real fight, esp. for newer guys.
- You get out the corner fast, so thats good.
- You telegraph alot. You move around, but before you initiate an attack, you stop dead in your tracks, then a beat later you throw.
- You need to retaliate ASAP, even if you think the strike is weak, jump the gun. The issue with getting hit, and thinking "ah shit, strike isn't perfect, I'll start again next one", is that you let your opponent know that there is no penalty, and they'll continue going to town on you. Not to mention "next time" almost never happens with that train of though. Make him pay for hitting you. When you get more advanced, and when he kicks you, sweep and dump him, that's a good deterrent then. For now, retaliate with combinations. 2 simple ones: You get hit with a leg kick, counter with 2,3,kick. You get hit with punches: leg kick, 3,2. On this on, you need to be solid and firm, so if you get punched during the kick you won't be off balance. When you get better, you can interrupt punches with punches.
- Throw more combinations, you just need to drill it more until its muscle memory. You probably throw alot more in sparring, but in here you threw alot of single shots, you just need more time drilling combos. My first 2 exhibitions were like that, I just didn't have enough repetitions in. 3rd exhibition + 1st fight onwards, combos became natural, and I was throwing them out of instinct. Even on dirlling, I get hit with something, a combo shoots back in retaliation.
- Clinching. Don't let them push your head down easily. You may have been gassed by then, I don't know. But keep your head up. You did keep yourself jock-to-jock (prevent getting hit with straight knees) so thats good.
- You back up alot. In the US of A ring control is a criteria in the judging decision. For some strange reason, combat sports in America has some obsession with it. Its the only in the world where you can rock your opponent and be dominant while backing up, but still lose your fight because of it (it is tied with aggression -- another criteria). In ammy, its uncommon for KOs to happen, sometimes TKOs, but alot of times it goes to a decision. You do not want to be the one backing up and losing on that criteria
- You tend to throw the same single inside leg kick, your opponent got wise to it near the end of the 1st. At your stage, don't lead with kicks, set it up from a combo. eg. 1,2,3,kick. and sell the punches well
- Your opponent is taller than you, that means he controls 2/3 ranges: kicking, and clinching. Your ideal range here is punching and boxing distance
- Hands are a bit low in the 3rd. some posters might give me shit for sticking with a traditional high guard, but when my opponent/sparring partner drops their hands like that, I'm immediately going to set up head kicks.
- Is there a reason you throw more lead left kicks instead of rear (right)? You have more power with your rear leg. You opponent does switch hitting sometimes, but you can still leg kick with your power side, it will just be targeting the inside instead of the outside thigh.
Your instructor said you did good, probably in the context that you didn't freeze, panic, and didn't get injured. Some guys do, you didn't so that is good.
You're very new to competing in combat sports, so no one's going to expect a highlight reel victory. This is an exhibition match, its a test for you to see what a sanctioned ammy fight has to offer. If I were coaching, I'd see it the same way, I wouldn't expect you (or a fresh fighter) to clean house.
Overall, despite this, it takes stones to step up, good job for doing so. Train with these points in mind (and from the other posters, as well with what your coach provides) during your next camp, and hopefully you'll do better.
