Muay Thai or boxing as a striking base ?

[StanClarker]

Muay thai allows for greater versatility. Boxer is good if you're a masochist who loves the feeling of leg kicks.
Sorry I had to lol

Seems so simple then. Why have a thread?

 

[Kono dio da!]

Seems so simple then. Why have a thread?

You tell me.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

Going to MT with a boxing base is beneficial. Slipping punches and combinations are a huge edge.

Just for MMA neither sport is represented well. Almost no one checks low kicks or throws them well, and very few can slip punches.

If you have a guy who can slip and counter you get some mismatches on the feet like Anderson vs Forrest. That's a fight where one has learned defense and the other is a brawler.

That's really the key issue isn't it? how many high level guys from these sports switch to MMA in their prime years and take it serious? barely anyone.

What we think of as MT in MMA is the Brazilian variant of it which is very different from the Thai style and has arguably always been geared towards MMA.

Honestly I think the same kind of thing is true for boxing in MMA, we don't see all that many MMA fighters using more advanced boxing technique, it tends towards very upright stances, seeing punchs coming and taking them with very little misdirection or body/head movement.

 

[PeacePipe]

If you could just train one of those arts and if you were fighting at the top level (UFC-Bellator-One)?
I would say boxing because muay thai guys rely very much on the big gloves to protect themselves. They almost don't move and and never slip punches, whereas in boxing, you work on proper footwork and head movement.
Of course, you miss the kicks and knees and elbows (although elbows aren't that hard to land if you are a boxer who understands proper hook mechanics...). But you won't stand upright, with 4oz gloves to protect your face, without moving, waiting for a wrestler to shoot on you.
What are your thoughts on that?

I train both, at the same gym actually. The reason you don't Bob and weave in Muay Thai is that you will get kneed or kicked of U try that shit.

Boxing is way more fun as I'm better at it, and I think it looks way cooler. Big wide stance, Bob and weave, fancy footwork etc. But you stand like that in Muay Thai and you will get leg kicked to hell.

The whole reason for the Thai narrow stance is for defence. It's so you can check kicks with both legs. I'd say for MMA, you need kicks so I'd train Muay Thai first, then maybe some boxing after for fancy combos.

Also you keep mentioning big Muay Thai gloves for defence, but in Muay Thai an elbow is very narrow . Also no one throws it like a hook, it's usually diagonally 45 degree down to split the guard.

I think Jose Aldo is a great example of Muay Thai with head mooment

 

[StanClarker]

You tell me.

 

[JudoJabs]

I like how people are saying it in the theoretical "would" as if we don't have literal decades of competitive evidence from the lowest to the highest levels.

If you've been paying attention the last decade or longer, you'll notice a very strong correlation with most the guys who get and stay at the top tier and what striking style they primarily train and utilize (you fight how you train).

This is a great thread and post. We can add Strickland to the list here as well now.

 

[machidafan99]

it is best to be able to seemlessly switch between the two like Anderson