Kicking the forearms is underutilized in MMA

[WarDronx]

@DatSamboKid In your OP you say "an inexperienced striker will often block with the elbow/forearm region". Tightening the area to absorb the blow is what I have also learned. Is this the wrong thing to do? If so, what is the better alternative? And just because we are here, I clarify that this is a genuine question, no "aggression"/ criticism intended.

 

[GolovKing]

They can be used more but they can't just be spammed the way they are in Muay Thai. Not just the takedown threat as many others have mentioned but also throwing a roundhouse exposes your chin a bit and getting caught with 4 oz gloves isn't to be taken lightly. Throwing hard roundhouses also expends a lot of energy, and now you're having to deal with wrestling and a pace that is much faster than Muay Thai in general

 

[NoSmilez]

You aren't going to stop them unless you cause a serious break. I fractured my elbow in a smoker and you don't even feel it until later when it swells up. Your legs also holds up your body weight. It's harder to hide it when it is hurt.

MMA striking is different from MT striking. You can't spam telegraphed kicks in MMA if your opponent circles. If you are relying on an arm break then it is a low percentage move. You see the hardest kickers from Thailand often compete in kickboxing when they get older. They kick the gloves all the time even when it doesn't score points. I can't recall any arm breaks of note? I think only time I seen it was a female fight? I am pretty sure there are other examples but I can't remember.

 

[aerius]

@DatSamboKid In your OP you say "an inexperienced striker will often block with the elbow/forearm region". Tightening the area to absorb the blow is what I have also learned. Is this the wrong thing to do? If so, what is the better alternative? And just because we are here, I clarify that this is a genuine question, no "aggression"/ criticism intended.

Bring the knee up and check it with the upper shin.

People will say you can't do that in MMA because of takedowns, but that's how Aldo does it.

 

[Candy Routure]

Couture broke his arm blocking a gonzaga kick too

That was a head kick, if I remember correctly.

 

[Bearknuckle]

Theres too many variables in mma to make any sort of statement. Theres lots of times guys get the takedown and get submitted too. Or get ko’d with a knee. Or gas themselves out.

hell, throwing a punch can leave you vulnerable too.

 

[Candy Routure]

Not only did Saku have good low kicks but he attacked the arms a lot too! lol

 

[Franklin U.]

My thai coach always emphasized on aiming for the forearms when throwing roundhouse kicks. I never really understood how effective it was till I was on the receiving end of them.

In Muay Thai, when someone throws a body kick you can catch, check, counter, dodge or block it. An inexperienced striker will often block a body kick with the elbow/forearm region. An inexperienced kicker can even break his foot landing on an elbow. But the Tibia bone is way bigger and harder than the Radius and the Ulna. Throwing your shin bone full force into your opponent’s arm does damage. You can break an arm pretty easily if landed correctly. I’ve also seen fights where the forearm is so damaged that the fighter has trouble lifting his arm (see video below).

With the calf kick craze going on, I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more fighters aim for the arms. A forearm is like a bitch version of a calf.

Technically speaking, you’re not "aiming" for the forearms. You’re kicking through your opponent, but the kick is targeted at the chest/upper ribs area. It’s an awkward angle, it makes the kick difficult check and catch because it’s high and tricky to dodge cause it’s low. A miscalculated pull back or duck under can lead to a nasty head kick.

Footwork, distance and takedowns make them harder to land in MMA, but I’ve still seen many fights where this kick could’ve been a game changer. It’s very effective for taller fighters and in my opinion, the two best guys to utilize them in MMA is Jones and Adesanya. Honorable mention to Barboza for his nasty switch kick and Darren Till.

See video below for example on how lethal they can be:

It wasn't a thought out text book m-t kick but I remember Chuck looking great into Franklin fight and actually broke a bone in Richs arm before that short counter right that didnt look all that violent. This is why I'll never bet or expect Rockhold to win any mma fight at this point.

 

[Dirty Frank]

Good post but EA's been telling us forearms regularly regenerate from damage

 

[legedema]

MMA still has a lot of room to grow when it comes to kicking and kicking defense in general.

THIS

 

[yougetKTFO]

That was a head kick, if I remember correctly.

you sir are correct, although it didn't look like it was going to land on the dome either way, gonzaga could get them up quickly tho as we saw vs. mirko

 

[Candy Routure]

you sir are correct, although it didn't look like it was going to land on the dome either way, gonzaga could get them up quickly tho as we saw vs. mirko

Gabe was a scary man for a moment in time!

 

[Fesaine]

MMA is still a young sport.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

Some of you guys don't understand how big the downsides are for kicking in MMA

Not only this but forearm damage usually occurs after many mid kicks. In MMA the apanyent would likely make adjustments a shoot for a TD.

An interesting combo could be forearm kick spamming and top notch BJJ who actually wants to go to the ground. Like a Werdum for example.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

There’s no one in the ufc that can kick like Samkor.

There’s not even anyone in Muay Thai they can kick like that dude

Yodsaenklai but he's pretty retired.

 

[CPH]

There’s no one in the ufc that can kick like Samkor.

There’s not even anyone in Muay Thai they can kick like that dude

Sure, but you don’t need to be Samkor to use that kick effectively. Kicking the arm isn’t only for causing damage - it’s also used to stop the other fighter in his tracks/limit his ability to box.