Rockhold turning sideways

[dfoster]

When being attacked, Rockhold moves back and switches to what looks like a karate stance. His entire right side is facing the opponent, he has to turn his head to look at the opponent. Basically, he cuts down his resources in half: 1 eye, 1 arm, 1 leg. Not only it's alot harder to turn your head to see the punches coming with 1 eye, you have only 1 arm to defend yourself: the front one.

Look at the 2nd gif, he defends himself against Romero's left with a right hook. What happens if that hook misses? Romero's left has a huge area to land on: the face, the side of the head, the back of the head. When the head turns sideways like that, it cannot do any bobbing and weaving, it's a sitting duck.

Rockhold's left hand is also useless while Romero can still follow up with his right hand any where to the exposed face and head.

Basically you face the opponent sideways while he faces you head on. Bad habit.

 

[Desji]

Check hook without the circling footwork. It's bizarre. I guess he misjudges the opponents direction or timing, he intends to step to the outside angle but ends up on the center-line instead, and then he retreats straight backwards. I mean it's easy to say "Take the outside angle" and "Don't retreat straight back", but obviously Rockhold knows the basics.

I will say that Rockhold is probably used to throwing check hooks in an open stance matchup and as such he probably doesn't have a great feel for it when facing another southpaw. That doesn't explain the Bisping loss, but I have a feeling that he just got sloppy there because he didn't respect Bisping. So maybe it's a case of similar outcomes for different reasons.

 

[dfoster]

Check hook without the circling footwork. It's bizarre. I guess he misjudges the opponents direction or timing, he intends to step to the outside angle but ends up on the center-line instead, and then he retreats straight backwards. I mean it's easy to say "Take the outside angle" and "Don't retreat straight back", but obviously Rockhold knows the basics.

I will say that Rockhold is probably used to throwing check hooks in an open stance matchup and as such he probably doesn't have a great feel for it when facing another southpaw. That doesn't explain the Bisping loss, but I have a feeling that he just got sloppy there because he didn't respect Bisping. So maybe it's a case of similar outcomes for different reasons.

Yeah, I think you're right. He initiates what looks like stepping to the outside but ends up moving backward. May be the trainer forgot to interrupt him and allowed it to develop into a bad habit.

Another theory I have is that he's afraid of being punched in the face (trying to protect it for modeling and all) so he instinctively turns the face sideways and have the back or side of the head being hit rather than the face. Then everything else follows that requirement. It's kinda like kids in a fight turning their heads away from the action but stilling swinging, often times with eyes closed.

 

[wookie brawl]

Rockhold's penchant for keeping his hands low is common knowledge now.
He doesn't have good enough reflex or chin to back it up.