thai clinch for MMA

[MMAforLife]

i keep getting different advice about how to use the thai clinch for MMA. i've read king kabukis wonderful thread, but all the fighters at my gym favor the more traditional thai method, even the UFC fighters (i train at a quality camp). they clinch, take a step forward to get their hips in, then snap down.

i feel much more comfortable with a method similar to kabukis - i get the clinch, do a kind of wrestling snap down/half sprawl, then throw the knee while his head is still coming down. its a very quick, powerful motion, and i feel much better protected against takedowns.

is there any kind of new consensus on this? what are the drawbacks to getting the hips in first? i just feel like its kind of slow, and dangerous against wrestlers.

also, i have a hard time keeping the head locked in. it tends to slip out a lot when i'm throwing knees. i really pinch hard, and try to keep it in deep, but i think my forearms may be too big to actually fit into the neckspace. any advice?

 

[IkkussSpikkuss]

I've learned that either method is cool if it works for you. I also want to note that one works better then the other depending on what type of fighter you are fighting. If you were fighting a wrestling tactition for instance, the half sprawl would be better, because you don't want your legs too close to him if you can help it. But a standup guy, well, I think you can get a little more power behind the "hips-in" method so it would be better if you can do it. In any case, I am a striker so I always go with the half sprawl technique. Less risk of getting taken down, although the risk is still obviously there, and I feel it sets up the Mauy Thai elbows better too. To each there own though.

 

[TapSD]

I notice alot of people going around the neck when a good thai clinch should have oth hands behind the "crown" of the head with forearms coming together around the neck like a vice...my 2 cents anyways

 

[Marvin Covar]

^^^ i agree. most fighters need to know basic thai clinching.

 

[thunder126]

I notice alot of people going around the neck when a good thai clinch should have oth hands behind the "crown" of the head with forearms coming together around the neck like a vice...my 2 cents anyways

yea thats pretty much an essential to having an effective clinch....most people tend to go for the neck for whatever reason.

 

[IkkussSpikkuss]

I notice alot of people going around the neck when a good thai clinch should have oth hands behind the "crown" of the head with forearms coming together around the neck like a vice...my 2 cents anyways

I believe the difference is that in MMA you want to have some sort of leverage to sprawl if he tries to take you down. My instructor says that the "crown" is best in a Muay Thai fight, but in MMA you want the neck. Not sure exactly why.

 

[Colby18***]

in MMA you want the neck. Not sure exactly why.

I don't think that makes any sense. If you grabbing the back of the neck they can posture out of it easily, making the thai clinch pretty ineffective.

 

[Braderlei]

remember to dig the elbows into the collarbone/upper pec area. that combined with putting the hands on the crown of the head will force even the biggest guy right into your knee. also remember there are two different techniques between throwing the knee to the stomach and head from the clinch

 

[U.S. Soldier]

Thai knee= very dangerous

 

[IkkussSpikkuss]

I don't think that makes any sense. If you grabbing the back of the neck they can posture out of it easily, making the thai clinch pretty ineffective.

Yeah, what you said makes sense, but I know that the neck is what every MMA instructor has shown me and the crown is what every MT instuctor has shown me. And that was the response I got when I asked about the difference. Maybe they are just lazy, but whatever. The world may never know.