What's the downside of checking leg kicks?

[mommas homeboy]

As you all well know, many fighters do not check leg kicks. Is checking the kicks ever risky or does it have a downside? It seems like it would be far more common if there was nothing to lose by doing it.

 

[Claude]

Finishing your opponent, and grieving fanboys crying about it being a fluke.

 

[Dramacydal]

I'm no expert, but presumably it opens you up to takedowns. If your opponent feints a leg kick and you go to check, they can sit you on your ass pretty quickly.

I also think you might get caught off balance if they go for a head kick instead.

 

[ForeverZero]

Broken legs

 

[DarthChen731]

Grieving fanboys crying about it being a fluke.

All you do is hate. What a waste of an account.



Back on topic:
I would assume that it can be done wrong or mistimed which could lead to imbalance and leaving oneself open to further strikes or takedowns.

 

[Dreamcatcher10]

its not easy at all, it hurts, and most of the time you get hit with the kick before you get the chance to think about checking

 

[Kalmah]

Finishing your opponent, and grieving fanboys crying about it being a fluke.

So brave. Keep fighting the good fight.

 

[Toxxus]

As you all well know, many fighters do not check leg kicks. Is checking the kicks ever risky or does it have a downside? It seems like it would be far more common if there was nothing to lose by doing it.

It's not a magic move and there are some real downsides:
1- If you do it wrong it can hurt like a mofo and injure you.
2- Even when you do it right it can hurt like a mofo. You're basically trying to take some pain to give the other guy more pain. Checking a hard kick HURTS.
3- If you become predictable with your leg checks your opponent will do fun stuff like fake low and go high (body or head) which has you sucking a hit while off-balance. Also, they can low kick to your OTHER leg if you're checking too high which will knock you on your ass.

 

[Dramacydal]

its not easy at all, it hurts, and most of the time you get hit with the kick before you get the chance to think about checking

Unless it hurts more than not checking them, that wouldn't be a downside though.

 

[Shaddows]

The problem with checking every kick is that you become susceptible to being predictable.

Many fighters prefer to eat the kick and throw in a counter.

if you are successful, you would make the other guy think twice before throwing any kicks at you, which is better than checking kicks (it still hurts, but much less).

 

[Eddieg]

It still hurts to go shin on shin, regardless of who is checking and who is kicking. The person using more force (the kicker) is just going to get hurt worse. It still kills if you're not a steel shinned Muay Thai professional.

 

[Ecker707]

 

[Elbower]

mostly used by fighters with muay thai background.

 

[Discomushroom]

Downside? It hurts, but it hurts your opponent more.

This belongs in "Ask the fighters" imo

 

[bullfish]

Also, they can low kick to your OTHER leg if you're checking too high which will knock you on your ass.

Nate vs Cowboy

 

[mommas homeboy]

It's not a magic move and there are some real downsides:
1- If you do it wrong it can hurt like a mofo and injure you.
2- Even when you do it right it can hurt like a mofo. You're basically trying to take some pain to give the other guy more pain. Checking a hard kick HURTS.
3- If you become predictable with your leg checks your opponent will do fun stuff like fake low and go high (body or head) which has you sucking a hit while off-balance. Also, they can low kick to your OTHER leg if you're checking too high which will knock you on your ass.

I figured it had something to do with losing balance, but I can't think of any examples where a guy tried checking a kick and paid a price for it. Maybe I'm not paying close enough attention though.

 

[Minnja]

If you don't check you can counter with a punch or try to grab the kick. Both which can lead to the kicker being on the floor which scores you points and could give you top position.

 

[barmyone45**]

Very few.

MMA fighters generally are good grapplers but vastly inferior at striking to Muay Thai fighters and lack that technical skill. If you watch high level Muay Thai 90% of the leg kicks are checked.

 

[Toxxus]

You should be able to see several examples of a guy lifting his leg to check a kick and then sucking a shot to the body or head.

 

[MiroHa]

If you don't check you can counter with a punch or try to grab the kick. Both which can lead to the kicker being on the floor which scores you points and could give you top position.

This pretty much.