Issue 112

March 2014

A well-placed liver shot can KO an opponent as quickly as a spinning head kick. So why do so few fighters target the torso? And what skills do you need to unleash a barrage of gut-wrenching body shots? FO investigates...

It was Sam Langford, one of boxing’s greatest uncrowned champions, who purportedly coined the phrase: kill the body and the head will follow. But it’s not just a great maxim, because even battle-hardened fighters are wary of facing an opponent who excels at going to the torso. 

Yet how much of this do we see in mixed martial arts? There are many observers who believe that body punching or kicking is something of a neglected art within this most multifaceted of sports. See for yourself the next time you watch a fight card and you’ll probably notice that the vast majority of striking techniques involve headhunting or working the legs.

So why are body shots often the odd man out? Perhaps it has something to do with the extensive repertoire of techniques that are available in MMA. Fighters have so many weapons to choose from it’s inevitable certain moves will get lost in the crowd. 

There are also the bonus incentives to consider. A bonus of $50,000 for a ‘Knockout of the Night’ is at the forefront of many a fighter’s mind, and a highlight-reel head knockout is usually more aesthetically pleasing than a body shot KO. 

Nonetheless the multiple rewards associated with hitting the body, such as inflicting shortness of breath upon your opponent, slowing down their movement, limiting their coordination and, of course, the potential to end the fight with one shot, all begs the question: why aren’t more mixed martial artists going to the body? 

There are exceptions of course. Nick Diaz and Takanori Gomi always went to the body with some regularity. Likewise, Junior Dos Santos uses body shots well to open up the head.

However, the most notorious exponent of body shots in the short history of MMA is former UFC heavyweight champion and the man who coined the term ‘liver shot,’ Bas Rutten. The Dutchman, who now co-hosts AXS TV’s Inside MMA and calls fights for World Series of Fighting, agrees that most mixed martial artists don’t go to the body nearly enough.

“How many times do you see a great striker putting his opponent against the fence and then he starts hitting him in the head?” asks Rutten. “The person against the fence sometimes has his hands up high, and they still don’t go for a body shot? Or the ‘crazy monkey defense’? I would love to fight a guy who uses that – liver shot for sure.”

Rutten is quick to emphasize the importance of keeping a cool head in battle. He explains: “The fighters who are calm and collected use body shots a lot because they know how devastating they are. Others, apparently, still don’t really think when they are fighting. The funny part is that the ones who are using it almost all have success with it; you would think the other fighters would notice that.

“But during the fight, you are busy with too many things, your mind tells you, ‘Go to the head, the head!’ People are screaming and it’s all a blur; you fight on instinct, which is not good since you are not thinking. I always say that it’s like driving a car – the more you do it, the better you get.

“But some fighters can never control ‘it.’ José Aldo, Anderson Silva, Rory MacDonald and Vitor Belfort, they are examples of those who think and study their opponent during the fight, same as Fedor (Emelianenko) and (Kazushi) Sakuraba.”

Temperament is one reason, then. But what else could account for the low volume of body shots? Looking at it from a technical perspective, is it harder to land a clean body shot than it is one to the head?

Well no, not according to Rutten, who explains: “It’s almost easier since everybody focuses on the head! But you don’t want to start off with it; you should make sure your opponent is breathing heavier and then go for it.

“You just need good head combinations to set up a body shot. Then, when you do hurt your opponent but he doesn’t go down with the body shot, don’t make the mistake that many make and start hitting the part of the body you just hurt. Start hitting the head with combinations, and that way he has to defend his head and the body will open up. This all sounds fairly obvious and so it still surprises me more fighters aren’t doing it.”

Recent evidence, however, suggests that body shots might finally be coming into vogue. Who could forget Anderson Silva’s devastating knee to the body of Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153? This was perhaps MMA’s own interpretation of Bob Fitzsimmons’ solar plexus shot, a punch that became legend after it handed the heavyweight title to ‘Ruby Robert’ back in 1897. 

And Rutten himself must surely have appreciated Anthony Pettis’ brutal liver kick stoppage against Donald Cerrone in 2013.

“Last year, we saw way more body KOs now than we have recently,” says Rutten. “And once fighters do it in the fight and see that it works, they are sold.”

According to Rutten, body shots must be considered more than just a means to an end. After all, they are arguably more painful and cause more significant damage than the generally more favored head shots. It’s all a matter of preference, of course, but time will tell if going to the body becomes the norm rather than the exception. For now, Rutten takes immense pride in his continuing role as ambassador of the body shot. 

“I love it when TV announcers say ‘liver shot,’” he says, “because I brought that phrase here. Recently I heard a commentator over at HBO Boxing saying it. How cool is that? No more ‘left hook to the body.’ A simple ‘liver shot’ will do. I’m very proud of that.”

BODY BLOWS

‘The Fight Doctor,’ Jonathan Gelber, founder of FightMedicine.net discusses the aftereffects of body shots

A clean liver shot can leave fighters writhing on the canvas in agony. What’s going on internally after this shot has landed? 

“How a liver shot is so effective is not exactly known from the scientific basis. But what is known, as a fighter can attest to, is that a proper liver shot delivered with sufficient force can leave a fighter breathless and feeling paralyzed for several seconds, hence the ‘body-shot KO.’ 

“One theory is that the liver is surrounded by a lot of nerves, and one in particular is called the vagus nerve. Stimulation of the vagus nerve can lead to a drop in blood pressure and even a temporary loss of consciousness, known as a ‘vaso-vagal’ response. There have not been enough studies conducted to confirm this, but the anatomy may help us to answer this question.” 

The ‘Bob Fitzsimmons’ solar plexus punch is another notorious body shot. What effect can this particular strike have on an individual? 

“This is another case of no actual studies giving us an answer, but where anatomy may give us a clue. 

“Contrary to urban legend, the heart does not stop with a solar plexus punch, as the heart sits much more on the left side of the chest rather than the center, although a blow significant enough to compress the sternum could theoretically compress and injure the heart. 

“The actual solar plexus punch may lead to stimulation of the phrenic nerve which controls the diaphragm. So, a blow strong enough to stimulate the nerve may knock the wind out of a fighter and also temporarily paralyze the diaphragm, preventing air from returning. Again, this is all speculation based on anatomy.” 

In your opinion, given the many rewards that often accompany going to the body, should more fighters be looking for body shots in MMA?

“Body shots are another piece of a fighter’s arsenal that can help win a fight. Most body KOs are available when a fighter opens up with a head shot, so using both head and body punches gives a fighter more to work with. Although a body KO may make a more lasting impression, as fighters often say it’s the type of KO you both remember and feel!”