Why are many ELITE MMA fighters so bad at defending body kicks?

[JustOnce]

You know, there are obviously guys who really doesn't check the lower kicks, whether it's low kicks or calf kicks or whatever. I mean we see plenty of fights where low kicks made a big difference, most recently Conor-Poirier 2 fight. The most recent hype train that UFC is pushing really hard got derailed by Chito Vera by calf kicks too. Cejudo lit up Cruz with low kicks before finishing him. Anthony Smith recently derailed Crute with low kick that made his leg go rubbery and do wierd shit.

But what I really don't understand is that why so many MMA fighters are so bad at defending BODY kicks. By the nature of MMA and their stance, I get that lots of fighters don't lift their leg up to check leg kicks. I mean, I get that.

But why are so many fighters so bad that defending body kicks? I mean, most recently Allen tored up Soriano with body kicks. I'm sure some may say Soriano ain't elite MMA fighter, but he's pretty good and he was clueless about how to defend body kicks. I mean, look at what Reyes did against Jan. I mean, he got lit up.

I just don't understand, even though they have kickboxing and muay thai coaches, why so many elite MMA fighters at the highest level of competition, can be so terrible at defending body kicks.

So sherbros, why are so many ELITE MMA fighters so bad at defending bodykicks?

 

[MikeChandler]

Q: why are so many fighters bad at defending body kicks?

A: Because its hard

 

[Klaavical]

Because god gave them livers

 

[theleerygoose]

A kick can land high, low, or in the middle. A lot of times you see the fighter thinking it’s coming high or low and it ends up in the middle.

It’s also one of those deals where if you have to guess if it’s going high or middle you would rather be wrong protecting your head than trying to protect your body and get your head kicked off.

 

[TheTickG]

I don't think I get your question. What exactly is "so many elite fighters." You mentioned only two examples. One of those examples was Reyes vs. Jan.

Should the next thread be, "why are so many elite fighters bad at defending punches to the face"? Because Reyes wasn't doing too well in that area either when he fought Jan.

 

[YungSithLxrd]

Honestly it's probably just not worth the risk of eating a shin to the teeth.

 

[JustOnce]

I don't think I get your question. What exactly is "so many elite fighters." You mentioned only two examples. One of those examples was Reyes vs. Jan.

Should the next thread be, "why are so many elite fighters bad at defending punches to the face"? Because Reyes wasn't doing too well in that area either when he fought Jan.

There are lots. Go away

Thanks for your contribution though.

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

Honestly it's probably just not worth the risk of eating a shin to the teeth.

Exactly. Body kicks hurt but generally don’t end a fight. Punches and kicks to the face have a higher potential of ending a fight. I.E. these dudes are tougher than us and are willing to eat body shots lol

 

[YungSithLxrd]

Exactly. Body kicks hurt but generally don’t end a fight. Punches and kicks to the face have a higher potential of ending a fight. I.E. these dudes are tougher than us and are willing to eat body shots lol

A flush head kick to an average ufc chin is pretty much a wrap lol. And that's facts l. I remember that whiffed overhand woodley hit Lawler in the chest with... that shit would have broke my sternum lol

 

[JustOnce]

A flush head kick to an average ufc chin is pretty much a wrap lol. And that's facts l. I remember that whiffed overhand woodley hit Lawler in the chest with... that shit would have broke my sternum lol

I would've died from brain hemmorhage from that kick.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

A well-timed body kick is hard to block. For anybody - not just MMA fighters.

By well-timed, I mean as a counter to a punch or when the arm is moving in reaction to a feint.

 

[YungSithLxrd]

I would've died from brain hemmorhage from that kick.

My head would have just popped on impact

 

[JustOnce]

A well-timed body kick is hard to block. For anybody - not just MMA fighters.

By well-timed, I mean as a counter to a punch or when the arm is moving in reaction to a feint.

I'm just talking about just body kicks in general.

 

[JustOnce]

My head would have just popped on impact

I don't know how Wanderlei survived this either. I mean he got knocked the fuck out, but he still lived.

I'm fairly sure some part of him died afterwards

 

[YungSithLxrd]

I don't know how Wanderlei survived this either. I mean he got knocked the fuck out, but he still lived.

I'm fairly sure some part of him died afterwards

MMA seems like it's an every man sport, but it's really not. These guys are on a different level. Athleticism at it's core was for survival before modern society. These guys are the guys that tales like Achilles and shit are written about.

 

[JustOnce]

MMA seems like it's an every man sport, but it's really not. These guys are on a different level. Athleticism at it's core was for survival before modern society. These guys are the guys that tales like Achilles and shit are written about.

I wouldn't go that far lol. But I'm sure they are very good though.

For me, I mean I couldn't place in my city for wrestling high school LONNNNG time ago. But therer are MANY guys who had incredible high school wrestling career, but they don't even stack up.

If you think about it, it's pretty hard to do as well as some of these guys did in wrestling at high school level, and we take it granted.

I guess just in comparison. If you think about it, even low tier guys are pretty talented compared to average joe like me I guess.

 

[YungSithLxrd]

I wouldn't go that far lol. But I'm sure they are very good though.

For me, I mean I couldn't place in my city for wrestling high school LONNNNG time ago. But therer are MANY guys who had incredible high school wrestling career, but they don't even stack up.

If you think about it, it's pretty hard to do as well as some of these guys did in wrestling at high school level, and we take it granted.

I guess just in comparison. If you think about it, even low tier guys are pretty talented compared to average joe like me I guess.

I meant more of a durability way. Out 100 ppl on the street how many could break a bone anywhere at all and continue their day let alone continue combat. Even the low tier mma guys will fight through fractured skulls broken hands, torn ligaments etc. That's not something you can teach or prepare for. That's just them..

I kick boxed and got beat up in sparring by ppl worse than me that just too tanky and walked through anything

 

[JustOnce]

I meant more of a durability way. Out 100 ppl on the street how many could break a bone anywhere at all and continue their day let alone continue combat. Even the low tier mma guys will fight through fractured skulls broken hands, torn ligaments etc. That's not something you can teach or prepare for. That's just them..

I kick boxed and got beat up in sparring by ppl worse than me that just too tanky and walked through anything

I don't know man, hard to say. Never thought about it that way. I don't put MMA fighters on pedestal like people do.

Athleticism, yes. To be able to succeed at that level, you are probably talented. But not sure about that, maybe. But never crossed my mind like that.

 

[YungSithLxrd]

I don't know man, hard to say. Never thought about it that way. I don't put MMA fighters on pedestal like people do.

Athleticism, yes. To be able to succeed at that level, you are probably talented. But not sure about that, maybe. But never crossed my mind like that.

It's not a pedestal. It's just what my opinion is. Any athlete on pro level has way above average attributes depending on what the sport is. If you're a high level MMA fighter. Ur a durability even if poor for that level would be well beyond any normal person. Just like you said even wash out players would dominate the average. Look at 3rd tier league soccer player and put him in a college D1 game. He would probably easily take man of the match just as an example of what I mean. In MMAs case it's durability

 

[JustOnce]

It's not a pedestal. It's just what it is. Any athlete on pro level has way above average attributes depending on what the sport is. If you're a high level MMA fighter. Ur a durability even if poor for that level would be well beyond any normal person. Just like you said even wash out players would dominate the average. Look at 3rd tier league soccer player and put him in a college D1 game. He would probably easily take man of the match just as an example of what I mean. In MMAs case it's durability

I don't know, like I said never thought about durability. lol. Chin yes, but durability no.