Why is the overhand right/left so effective in MMA?

[Tormund]

load of rubbish. if you train combat sports you train combat sports. You have a lot of people in MMA w striking backgrounds that get outstruck and plenty of striking experts that come to MMA and get KO'd.

Cerrone was supposedly 25-0 in Kickboxing and had a title yet got tooled by people like RDA, Pettis, Diaz, Even barbosa was lighting him up. Varner dropped him, so did Mccollough and even the other Cowboy was doing well before it hit the ground.

MMA fighters can box.... kickbox.... etc. Just go watch Mousasi, Overeem, Hunt, in K1. I believe even genki sudo did some k1 with some degree of success and you've had just so so so many mmartists with boxing careers that were succesful that failed to capitalize in MMA striking....

I'm talking simple fundamentals like a jab and 1-2 combinations, Mousasi has a decent jab but he can't roll punches or string together nice combinations, literally hardly anybody in MMA has such solid fundamentals like a JDS or a Diaz bro.

 

[Bagatur]

because MMA fighter are shitty boxers. the majority of them would get obliterated by amateur boxers.

 

[Son of Werdum]

Defensive skills are integral to be a top boxer. Fighters like JDS or Chuck throw looping ass hooks with their chins way up in the air and are considered "good" MMA strikers.

 

[AJ Garcia]

once you touch em with teh jab, everything else falls into place...

This. Once you touch them with teh jab, and throw the overhand right correctly, it's lights out for anyone.

 

[MarleyLynx]

I'm talking simple fundamentals like a jab and 1-2 combinations, Mousasi has a decent jab but he can't roll punches or string together nice combinations, literally hardly anybody in MMA has such solid fundamentals like a JDS or a Diaz bro.

I mean it's a different sport though. You can't apply boxing to real combat. The hand positions, weight distributions and angles completely change when you add in more tools. It's not that they don't know striking or boxing, it's that they use what is viable.

 

[Tormund]

I mean it's a different sport though. You can't apply boxing to real combat. The hand positions, weight distributions and angles completely change when you add in more tools. It's not that they don't know striking or boxing, it's that they use what is viable.

No, JDS, Diaz & Holm are just 3 off the top of my head who use actual technique in their striking instead of winging overhands, not all aspects of boxing just the fundamentals like rolling punches, lateral movement, footwork etc. Overhands aren't the only thing that's viable.

 

[Blown 89]

You do see it in boxing....they call it a looping right and it's very common to see in a boxing match. There are a number of reasons fighters like it for mma.

1) It's easy to transition from that into a takedown or clinch.
2) The gloves are smaller so when it lands it's more devastating (it's why it gets more attention in mma). Plus the gloves are smaller so it's easier to get past a defensive hand position.
3) It's easier to throw at range. Boxing happens in a range that is dangerously close for mma (for both takedowns, clinch, collar ties, etc.) Boxers have the advantage of the clinch being separated so they can operate at a closer range.
4) It clears a protective shoulder roll

It's used in both boxing and kickboxing fairly regularly for many of the same reasons so if you're not seeing it in either of those you clearly don't know what you're watching.

 

[Toxxus]

if someone charges at you, they can be doing a number of things.. Going for a takedown, clinch.

So you don't hold your hands up as much, because you've got to worry about grappling.. leaving yourself open to punches that normally wouldn't land.

This and some other responses have basically covered it. Defense of grappling and kicks effect hand positioning and posture. The start of the overhand right looks like someone dipping down to shoot in and the gloves are smaller so they're more difficult to hide behind.

Also, the level of boxing in MMA - a diverse fighting sport with many disciplines - is not as high as it is in boxing (obviously).

 

[Fahcough]

Why does JDS club hand it

 

[scarface94]

You don't see it nearly as much in boxing or kickboxing

Because MMA has horrible strikers.

 

[kpt018]

The overhand right works in mma because of the dip down as its being thrown.

In mma you have to be concerned for the takedown. This punch looks like the begining of a shot which allows it to land because people will drop there hands to defend the td.

This.

But quite honestly there's a lot of bad defensive fighters in MMA.

 

[Spiderbite]

And here we go with more pointless boxing comparisons.

You show me Mayweather defending a double leg, and then maybe your terrible "MMA strikers" argument will have some heft.

 

[alaskamma]

I would say it's because the fighter can fake a takedown to throw the overhand where as in boxing they can't.

 

[BlackPanther]

 

[ChopToTheButt]

The overhand right works in mma because of the dip down as its being thrown.

In mma you have to be concerned for the takedown. This punch looks like the begining of a shot which allows it to land because people will drop there hands to defend the td.

This. Came here to say it but you were on it. It looks like a level change. Watch Fedor Arlovski. When Fedor sets up the overhand that kills Arlovski, Arlovski looks like he reacts to what he thinks is an incoming takedown by throwing a flying knee, but is destroyed instead. Great job of baiting someone straight into an overhand.

 

[Towelie by TKO]

What? See overhand rights in boxing all the time, especially in the higher weight classes.

 

[LostMyBlackBelt]

MMA fighters tend to keep their hands low.

 

[Air Lats]

Small gloves

Edit: should've read the already great replies ITT.