How does lyoto machida knock people out with jabs?

[onemanshow83]

I rewatched some of his fights like with bader, evans, and silva and although I watch the replay the punches doesnt seem to have enough impact. Can someone explain his technique to me?

 

[fluffball]

His punch + opponent's momentum. Also he usually uses his rear hand, not a jab. Edit: And with Evans he hit him with like 45 power shots....

 

[shinkyoku]

basic point karate techniques.

 

[shpboris]

IMO, those things help Machida greatly to KO his opponents:

1.
Usually he catches them on their mistakes when they are in a bad positions to defend - out of balance, after missing shots etc. Every punch that connects in such situation has more solid effect.

2.
His timing - even for somebody who watches his fights on TV, the selection of the moment for attack looks quite unexpected. So , I guess, his opponents are surprised by that as well and not prepared to receive/absorb the punch.

3.
He is quite accurate in regards to placement of his punches - lands them exactly on the chin.

P.S.
Though, as was already mentioned here, most of his KOs are from rear hand - not a jab.

 

[Tayski]

basic point karate techniques.

This.
Using the rear hand for straight punches to the jaw combined with fast linear in-and-out movement is the basics of point scoring karate.
When I competed in point scoring karate as a teenager this was my favourite technique and one of the easiest to land, especially when using the front hand to pull down the opponent's guard before throwing the rear hand straight to the face.

To answer your question, it's basically punching accuracy (usually aiming at the jaw), with his momentum of shifting his body weight forward as he rushes in, and if his opponent is also going forward as he does that then there's also their momentum coming into the punch. So it's more to do with accuracy and momentum than raw strength.

 

[NaughtyBoy]

Powerful straight right hands + timing

Not jabs.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

It's possible to knock people silly (almost out) with a jab sometimes if you get them while they're rushing in

 

[Henddong]

he touched them with it thats why

 

[BigPapaShango]

He is a master at timing people rushing, taking a step back and driving his force from his heel to fist, essentially creating a brick for people to run into.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

This.
Using the rear hand for straight punches to the jaw combined with fast linear in-and-out movement is the basics of point scoring karate.
When I competed in point scoring karate as a teenager this was my favourite technique and one of the easiest to land, especially when using the front hand to pull down the opponent's guard before throwing the rear hand straight to the face.

To answer your question, it's basically punching accuracy (usually aiming at the jaw), with his momentum of shifting his body weight forward as he rushes in, and if his opponent is also going forward as he does that then there's also their momentum coming into the punch. So it's more to do with accuracy and momentum than raw strength.

Sure. It's also a boxing technique and there are usually no full-contact punches to the head in point karate. But still, it's a karate technique. Sure.

In shotokan, even in high-level competition, these controlled punches to the face are usually thrown off-balance and in the air and wouldn't have proper motion to knock somebody out.

 

[LLD2008]

Well because he's a counter striker, he times the punch well and counters the opponent when they come in

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

Timing beats speed --

Unless the speed is from weed yo!

 

[Tayski]

Sure. It's also a boxing technique and there are usually no full-contact punches to the head in point karate. But still, it's a karate technique. Sure.

In shotokan, even in high-level competition, these controlled punches to the face are usually thrown off-balance and in the air and wouldn't have proper motion to knock somebody out.

No need for the sarcasm.
It is a very common and typical karate technique especially in Shotokan, the style of Karate practised by Machida, much more so than in boxing which has many more variations and combos of punches.

Not only you're trolling but you're also showing you clearly have no clue about karate apart from watching a couple of youtube videos.

Also, Shotokan Karate is not always without contact. What you're describing is WKF tournaments.
This is a tournament by the JKA organisation for example:

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

No need for the sarcasm.
It is a very common and typical karate technique especially in Shotokan, the style of Karate practised by Machida, much more so than in boxing which has many more variations and combos of punches.

Not only you're trolling but you're also showing you clearly have no clue about karate apart from watching a couple of youtube videos.

Also, Shotokan Karate is not always without contact. What you're describing is WKF tournaments.
This is a tournament by the JKA organisation for example:

I admit that I saw a few KOs from punches to the face in this vid.

But I also saw some sequences where the punches were clearly controlled, i.e. "point punches" or whatever you call them.

Are you sure that these vids all come from the same competition format ?

 

[Azam]

I admit that I saw a few KOs from punches to the face in this vid.

But I also saw some sequences where the punches were clearly controlled, i.e. "point punches" or whatever you call them.

Are you sure that these vids all come from the same competition format ?

I think you need to remember that these are relatively highly skilled karateka competing against each other. When you have two karateka competing that are similarly skilled in timing
& controlling distance - you won't see many clean KOs.

There were quite a few KOs in that video. Those that didn't get KO'd weren't hit cleanly enough. JKA Shotokan does involve full contact - however it is not continuous contact.


Your earlier quote was :

In shotokan, even in high-level competition, these controlled punches to the face are usually thrown off-balance and in the air and wouldn't have proper motion to knock somebody out.

Your statement doesn't hold true to JKA competition. You made the assumption that all shotokan competitions have controlled punches, as they usually thrown off-balance/in the air & don't have proper motion to knock someone out. Tayski just showed you a JKA video of karateka getting knocked out by punches that are not off balance, in the air or controlled....Some seem like they are because they don't hit cleanly enough. Some also don't commit fully because they don't want to miss & get countered.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

Interesting.
Is there a reason why these guys don't throw hooks ?

I ll admit that I never saw the JKA format before.

I take back some of the stuff I said.

 

[the ambush]

Machida has been doing stand-up karate since childhood. He was one step ahead of guys that were not nearly as refined or technical in their striking, this includes Thiago Silva. If you evaluate his MMA fights you will notice he carefully and patiently waits to intercept.

One of the of the only fights I can recall where was consistently on the offensive throughout was the Silva fight, which can be attributed to Machida's own gameplanning of Silva's flaws on tape. Compound this with Silva and his trainers willingly (and mistankingly) engaging Machida with his hands low and poor defensive posture.

 

[shinkyoku]

Interesting.
Is there a reason why these guys don't throw hooks ?

I ll admit that I never saw the JKA format before.

I take back some of the stuff I said.

practicality. Hooks (kage tsuki) are close in techniques. point karate is first hit wins, so you do not want to be close in enough to use them.

 

[The MM Analyst]

He doesn't knock people out with jabs. Against Bader he timed him charging in with a straight and against Silva he shifted forward so that his lead hand became his rear hand and hit him with a straight.

 

[Risin1]

Interesting.
Is there a reason why these guys don't throw hooks ?

I ll admit that I never saw the JKA format before.

I take back some of the stuff I said.

The reason why hooks aren't utilized very much. Is because power from Shotokan striking comes from the ground starting with the toes and finishing at the hips. It's much easier to generate power in that sense with linear attacks.