Trending techniques and tendencies in UFC MMA

[blunttruth]

I find it interesting to watch how the MMA in the UFC evolves, and sometimes devolves over time. The UFC fighters watch the same fights that we do, and pick up on same things that we see, and you can often see how certain new successful moves or techniques get attempted by future fighters. Some of techniques or tendencies that I am on the watch for now include the last 10 second center of the Octagon slug down now popularized by the Holloway-Gaethge fight. I have already noticed several fighters since then try to replicate the moment. I am also looking to see how many, if any, fighters try to emulate Strickland's style with the constant teep kicks etc. I thought I noticed one fighter last weekend using the technique quite a bit, but I was not familiar enough with the fighter to know if it had always been part of his style, or now something new. I suspect that there are now many UFC fighters training themselves to replicate the standing leg lock move that Taira just used against Perez, where he locks the extended leg behind his standing opponents leg to enable the backward leaning leverage to take their opponent down. Any other relatively new or unique moves that you expect to see fighters attempt from here on out?

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

Twittkwondo has become a very popular art form

A lot of these guys spend more time training it than ufc anymore

 

[HHJ]

The "Holloway" on lasts UFC's card was really a piss poor version of it though.

Just posturing.

Max is REALLY about it when he does it.

Interesting topic.

 

[EndlessCritic]

The Ruotolo brothers recently both hit arm-in rear naked chokes at ONE at the same event. This could easily become a new meta.

I note Montana De La Rosa attempted this against Andrea Lee with about 2:30 left in rd1. Din Thomas then declared it was impossible to finish with the arm-in, and insulted Felder for suggesting it could have been a submission.

 

[backlight]

How could anything else ever top the Ultimate Calf Kick Championship?

 

[HHJ]

Porier started grapevining the legs after Khabib did that to him, didnt he?

 

[Urluberluu]

the best technique is still a big overhand to the jaw

 

[HuskySamoan]

At range, particularly with kicking but in general I think the utilization of rotation is something we may see more. For instance guys throwing a low kick that misses and planting that foot to continue into a spinning hook kick. Or we saw that blistering combo Yan threw where he went hook, spinning back fist, hook that floored Sandhagen. I've seen Bilal Hasan who's 22 on the US regional scene utilize rotation in similar ways to no surprise, he was an Olympic hopeful in Tae Kwon Do (won the Cadet Pan Ams gold) who went the MMA route instead and has been at Humes gym and training with Mighty Mouse since highschool days. I've been waiting for this, for a long time. I remember training with competition TKD and Karate guys who'd show me kicking combinations and set ups that seemed so functionally sound, Adam Khaliev and Adlan Amagov both utilized this stuff a decade + ago quite well, but it does require you to have the ability to kick effectively off either leg which isn't common in MMA, or even super common in kickboxing.

I'm still waiting for MMA fighters to get better at fighting on the inside. Evolutionarily it isn't necessary in MMA like boxing since you have so many more options, as you are allowed to clinch, knee, elbow, grapple, takedowns etc. And being able to block, slip and roll is a lot harder in MMA but still we don't see a lot of guys punching off a block, slip or roll while staying in the pocket, but to really give rangey guys like an Izzy, Omalley, Islam, Leon etc. trouble you need to be able to effectively pressure, close distance and maintain that distance...which requires being good at in fighting. The ability to strike well in the pocket and wrestle well there (plenty can wrestle well there of course) is where it's one of a few clear advantages for the stouter, shorter and more compact men. Defensively, I don't see a lot of guys great at this but offensively were starting to see guys like Ilia who are putting fools away with 4-5 punch combos in tight, ripping the body, creating openings and it's awesome. Yan, Poirier, there's some decent guys but not a ton.

 

[don't ask]

The Ruotolo brothers recently both hit arm-in rear naked chokes at ONE at the same event. This could easily become a new meta.

I note Montana De La Rosa attempted this against Andrea Lee with about 2:30 left in rd1. Din Thomas then declared it was impossible to finish with the arm-in, and insulted Felder for suggesting it could have been a submission.

Wild stuff.





And here's Braulio tapping out Marcelo with it 15 years ago:



For several years after this happened, I was trying to figure out how to do it because I'm ALWAYS struggling to get the RNC, but an arm-in variation would have been golden for me. I never did figure it out, but I'm glad to see I might still get a chance.

 

[don't ask]

At range, particularly with kicking but in general I think the utilization of rotation is something we may see more. For instance guys throwing a low kick that misses and planting that foot to continue into a spinning hook kick. Or we saw that blistering combo Yan threw where he went hook, spinning back fist, hook that floored Sandhagen. I've seen Bilal Hasan who's 22 on the US regional scene utilize rotation in similar ways to no surprise, he was an Olympic hopeful in Tae Kwon Do (won the Cadet Pan Ams gold) who went the MMA route instead and has been at Humes gym and training with Mighty Mouse since highschool days. I've been waiting for this, for a long time. I remember training with competition TKD and Karate guys who'd show me kicking combinations and set ups that seemed so functionally sound, Adam Khaliev and Adlan Amagov both utilized this stuff a decade + ago quite well, but it does require you to have the ability to kick effectively off either leg which isn't common in MMA, or even super common in kickboxing.

I'm still waiting for MMA fighters to get better at fighting on the inside. Evolutionarily it isn't necessary in MMA like boxing since you have so many more options, as you are allowed to clinch, knee, elbow, grapple, takedowns etc. And being able to block, slip and roll is a lot harder in MMA but still we don't see a lot of guys punching off a block, slip or roll while staying in the pocket, but to really give rangey guys like an Izzy, Omalley, Islam, Leon etc. trouble you need to be able to effectively pressure, close distance and maintain that distance...which requires being good at in fighting. The ability to strike well in the pocket and wrestle well there (plenty can wrestle well there of course) is where it's one of a few clear advantages for the stouter, shorter and more compact men. Defensively, I don't see a lot of guys great at this but offensively were starting to see guys like Ilia who are putting fools away with 4-5 punch combos in tight, ripping the body, creating openings and it's awesome. Yan, Poirier, there's some decent guys but not a ton.

There were a couple of guys who used basic side kicks really well and I loved to see it. It seems like any underutilized tool has a chance to change the course of entire fights in MMA because there are so many tools to choose from.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Wild stuff.





And here's Braulio tapping out Marcelo with it 15 years ago:



For several years after this happened, I was trying to figure out how to do it because I'm ALWAYS struggling to get the RNC, but an arm-in variation would have been golden for me. I never did figure it out, but I'm glad to see I might still get a chance.

This might be too simplistic a response but to me, it looks like they're almost approaching the choke more like a darce than a rear naked. The Ruotolo brothers in these clips are even off at an angle while taking the back which I think helps execute this kind of choke. It's still really strange, darces, rear nakeds and head & arms were my bread and butter but I've never subbed someone with an arm in rear naked either, though I didn't ever really try...didn't seem like something you do.

The Braulio example while against Marcelo could be chalked up more to the fact that Estima was a 6'3 200lb dude and Marcelo was 5'8 160lbs with a gi on. Really interesting though, Kade is a genius, he could definitely share some brilliance that ends up becoming mainstream. It's happened plenty already in MMA. I'd like to see Kade to commit to MMA honestly.

 

[EndlessCritic]

This might be too simplistic a response but to me, it looks like they're almost approaching the choke more like a darce than a rear naked. The Ruotolo brothers in these clips are even off at an angle while taking the back which I think helps execute this kind of choke. It's still really strange, darces, rear nakeds and head & arms were my bread and butter but I've never subbed someone with an arm in rear naked either, though I didn't ever really try...didn't seem like something you do.

The Braulio example while against Marcelo could be chalked up more to the fact that Estima was a 6'3 200lb dude and Marcelo was 5'8 160lbs with a gi on. Really interesting though, Kade is a genius, he could definitely share some brilliance that ends up becoming mainstream. It's happened plenty already in MMA. I'd like to see Kade to commit to MMA honestly.

nothing like a d'arce at all.

 

[kingmob6]

I never understood why Toe Stumps did not get as popular as a calf kick. Usman took toe stumps all the way to multiple title defenses.

 

[HuskySamoan]

I never understood why Toe Stumps did not get as popular as a calf kick. Usman took toe stumps all the way to multiple title defenses.

I think you're joking, but it reminds me of a couple more things.

1. The headkick from the back body lock and off the break from that position, I've seen it work 2 or 3 times, but you rarely see people throw...honestly I think it's an effective strike, your opponent has sometimes little to no visibility of it and there's not really room for you to be countered. But you do need to have the leg speed and dexterity to throw high from close distance and quickly.





The other is just more knees to the body when opponents are on the ground, while I get it can cause you to give up position they're just so damn high reward and low risk, I'm often surprised you don't see more people getting really good at it.

 

[UWPguy]

I'm surprised more guys don't try the oblique kick like Jones uses. I suppose unless a guy is quite a bit taller than his opponent it would leave him in range of his opponent and more open to being countered.

I'm glad the constant rolling for leg locks like Ryan Hall used to do died out.

 

[GrantB13]

How could anything else ever top the Ultimate Calf Kick Championship?

I'm so glad it's not AS prevalent anymore. It was actually super annoying.

 

[Gamer2k4]

The Ruotolo brothers recently both hit arm-in rear naked chokes at ONE at the same event. This could easily become a new meta.

I note Montana De La Rosa attempted this against Andrea Lee with about 2:30 left in rd1. Din Thomas then declared it was impossible to finish with the arm-in, and insulted Felder for suggesting it could have been a submission.

I've stopped giving Din any credibility after he said Edwards was done and looking for a way out in the Usman fight. I see he hasn't gotten any better.

 

[markantony20]

I've stopped giving Din any credibility after he said Edwards was done and looking for a way out in the Usman fight. I see he hasn't gotten any better.

Was he legitimately ever that good?

Most of his coaching seems to be the complete opposite of what is actually winning the fighter he’s talking about the fight.

 

[gracie_barra_samurai]

I'm surprised no one changes stances off of rear leg kicks instead of always bringing it back.

Especially wrestlers who wrestled from the opposite stance.

 

[HHJ]

I've stopped giving Din any credibility after he said Edwards was done and looking for a way out in the Usman fight. I see he hasn't gotten any better.

Pffff

Gimme a break dude. Everyone was thinking that. Literally the whole world thought he was done.