Fighters Only

Issue 144

August 2016

Why the use of a strong jab can be the foundation of your fight game

A strong, straight punch with your lead hand is one of the simplest striking techniques to learn, but one of the most difficult to master. Jackson-Wink MMA Academy striking coach Brandon Gibson says the use of the jab is evolving in the sport and more fighters are becoming effective with their use of it, but it’s still an underutilized tool. He explains the keys to using one of your best weapons the cage.

Tool of the trade

“Just like a shoot single or a guard pass it needs to be one of the fundamental foundations of a fighter’s toolbox. A lot of fighters look at it as just one weapon, whereas some of the greatest boxers – Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones Jr, Sugar Ray Robinson – had so many different set-ups with their jab and different styles of jab.”

Get smart

“I really try and emphasize with my fighters that it’s not just a range-finding tool. There’s a lot of ways you can use the jab to set up your takedowns, your kicks, your angles or your defense. I help my fighters develop the IQ of when and where to use what type of jab and the follow-up chess piece that comes behind it.”

Best in the business

“Georges St Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck is the pinnacle of effective use of the jab in MMA. That’s one for all fighters to look at, imitate and improve on. Georges was just so fast with his jab in that fight. He still had that square stance but he’d elongate his hips. He had such good takedown defense because Koscheck would try and shoot under it and Georges was just gone.”

Gibson adds: “Georges was so good at switching it up. That Superman-style jab, then he’d feint and find his blast-double underneath. He was very effective at setting up his power attacks. He was doing a good job of feinting and finding his right hand behind it. It was a brilliant fight where the jab was used to set up everything that ended up being very dominant.”

New style

“There’s a lot of room for the expansion of the jab in MMA. In boxing it’s so dominant because they have more of a fencer-type stance since you don’t need to check the leg kick and you don’t need to defend your hips. You can get very long with the jab, whereas in MMA you still need to apply a square stance.”

Punch permutations

“There are a variety of jabs that can be developed in MMA. There’s your classic snap jab to control range and a Sugar Ray Robinson-type – he’d call it a lead cross – where he’d load up his shoulder and his hip and make a more powerful punch.”

Hell to pay

“You see a lot of takedowns initiated off opportunities after a missed jab. Even after you land the jab, a lot of wrestlers like to change levels on you or slip out. Fighters became a little more careful just flicking the jab out. They don’t want to get shot underneath, so they have to be that much more precise, accurate and effective with their jab to keep their opponents off.”

Proceed with caution

“If (fighters) just keep always using it as a range finder like boxers do, they find themselves getting kicked or taken down off it. The timing and use as a tool needs to be thought of a little more differently than traditional boxing. If you’re that opponent looking to capitalize off that jab with a slip, counter strike or counter takedown you could look at that timing to find your opportunity. I think a lot of MMA fighters are just more aware or more cautious when you’re throwing jabs.”