Alright. You're right. So back on topic, then.
Ssullivan, you mentioned Petrosyan's stance changing to account for range, but for some reason I don't really see it. I understand the concept, and it makes sense. But see this fight, for example:
He seems to stick to the Thai stance pretty strictly, keeping an arm out for range and defense, one hand glued to his chin at all times. I know I've seen him move his head more in other fights, so perhaps this is an oddity because he's fighter a kicker like Buakaw. But to me his defensive movements all look very reactionary. I wonder what the best stance option is for kickers who want to not rely on reaction time alone to avoid strikes. Perhaps at kicking range, it doesn't matter because the added distance makes the kicks easier to avoid anyway?
I think this fight is not one of the better examples when looking at Petro, I think a lot due in part to his respect for Buakaws clinch strength. He didn't want to get his shoulders down lower, since Buakaw is incredibly strong in that clinch. Really I think that was a mistake, he made the mistake of trying to fight a more thai style fight and that plays right into Buakaw's strength. Andy Souwer vs. Buakaw is a better example, he really did his damage in that mid-range with his superior boxing....... what I think Petro should have and could have done as well (and did against Souwer). If you really look at the fights Buakaw has lost, he lost them when his clinch game was taken away and that mid-range (boxing range) was exploited by superior boxing...... I.E: Masato, Kraus, Souwer and Sato.
I don't know that there is one ideal stance for a kicker, defensively speaking. I think that is more an individual thing. That said, It is more common than not, that great kickers use a more Thai style stance at range. Taller and more square with a narrower base. There are exceptions, like Masato who really uses a more boxing oriented stance, but Masato is a more dominant boxer than he is a kicker. Just my opinion, but from my observations it seems to be the case more often than not, that the most dominant fighters in kickboxing and even MMA are very good at transitioning there base/stance as the ranges there fighting at change.
WATCH HOW WELL PETRO TRANSITIONS HIS RANGE AGAINST SOUWER, USES THAT TALLER NARROWER STANCE AT KICKING RANGE TO KEEP ANDY OUT OF THAT MID RANGE. BUT WHEN HE FINDS HIS WAS IN OR PETRO CLOSES RANGE HE SETS DOWN IN THAT STANCE TO THROW AND DEFEND PUNCHES. THIS WAS WHAT BUAKAW FAILED TO DO, HE BEAT SOUWER AT RANGE BUT DIDNT TRANSITION IN BOXING RANGE LIKE PETRO DID, SEE BELOW. CLEARLY YOU CAN SEE THAT PETRO CHANGES ELEVATIONS AND SETS IN HIS STANCE IN THAT MID RANGE VS. BUAKAW STANDS TALL AND RELIES ON HIS CLINCH. IN K1 RULES, THE CLINCH RULES TAKE AWAY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BUAKAWS CLINCH....... THAI RULES, WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY.
HERE IS THE FIGHT AGAINST SOUWER, WHERE SOUWER REALLY WON THAT FIGHT (POINTS) IN THAT MID-RANGE BY OUTBOXING BUAKAW. SURE HE GOT DOMINATED IN THAT CLINCH, BUT THIS WAS A K1 FIGHT AND BUAKAW WASN'T SCORING POINTS AND WASN'T ABLE TO KEEP ANDY IN THAT CLINCH (REFS BROKE IT UP). HE WAS GETTING HIT WHEN HE GRABBING AND GOING FOR THAT CLINCH. MY OPINION, ANDY SOUWER REALLY HAS THE "IDEAL" STANCE TO BLEND KICKBOXING/BOXING AND TRANSITION RANGE. WATCH CLOSELY AS HIS STANCE WIDENS AND GETS LOWER AS HE CLOSES RANGE FROM KICKING TO PUNCHING (PARTICULARLY WHEN HE GETS BUAKAW STOOD UP ON THE ROPES), IT IS VERY SUBTLE BUT HE TRANSITIONS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IN AND OUT.
3rd round
Hey Sullivan, bro I suppose what I took from wrestling was great balance and the ability to exploit the unbalance-ness of people I spar. Here's the thing, my favourite MMA fighters have never been wrestlers (apart from prime Kerr) always stand up dudes like Igor Vovchanchyn.
I never had anyone in bjj (blue belt onwards) give me any trouble from a standing start, however if I had a $ for every time I got tapped to lapel chokes in the guard for the first 6 months I'd be a millionaire lol.
Makes sense, every wrestler I have worked with on their striking can do that very instinctively. I think a great deal of that comes from understanding and being able to apply "hip control" so naturally. A great misconception is that "hip control" is only applicable on the mat or clinched/tied up. Not the case! Thanks!
As for BJJ, I am the opposite from you. I am not difficult for even novice guys to take down if they have basic wrestling skills. (when the threat of striking is removed), but It has made me far better at using my guard, which is more defensive than offensive. That said, most my BJJ experience has been No gi, and when I did start training with a gi I could of been a millionaire if I had a dollar for everytime I got arm barred........ Not nearly as easy to push and press guys off with your arms when they no longer are trying to grab a sweaty forearms and can grab a hold of that sleeve! Nonetheless, I have once again given up on training BJJ as no matter how many times I try it is only a short time before I end up with an injury. I swear I have been injured (nagging injuries) more times training BJJ intermittently over the course of 3-4yrs than I have in the 15+ year of boxing and kickboxing. I finally just resigned to the fact that I am "too damn old for this"!
