Issue 082
December 2011
The sweet science is even sweeter when you seamlessly work it into your MMA stand-up repertoire. Get your lips round these tasty boxing combinations and make your training partners sick with envy
Pete Irving
Professional fighter
Pete Irving is a professional welterweight fighter and Fighters Only’s resident fight expert.
Like all the elements of MMA, boxing must be carefully modified to deal with the dangers of kick and knee techniques, clinching and takedowns. The classic boxing stance, legs wide, presenting a narrow profile with the lead foot turned inwards, can create problems when dealing with leg kicks and leg tackles – the foot position making it difficult to check or sprawl. Head movement must be minimized too and used more sparingly than in boxing, so as not to roll or slip into a kick or knee.
COMBO 1 – PART 1: JAB, SLIP, RIGHT UPPERCUT, LEFT HOOK
This long chain combination combines defensive movement with sympathetic counter combinations. Practice it in two parts. First, master the jab, slip, right uppercut to left hook. Second, work the roll, left hook, right uppercut, left hook to right cross. Once you are comfortable, combine them into one long chain combo.
The right uppercut is a great punch for MMA, as it can catch someone shooting in, or dissuade them altogether. BJ Penn has one of the best uppercuts in MMA. See his fight against Sean Sherk for examples of how effective the right uppercut can be.
1 Pete and Mariusz square off in orthodox stances (left leg forward). Mariusz holds the pads.
2 Mariusz calls for a jab. Pete slides in a little, with his weight distributed evenly over both feet. He jabs, keeping the shoulder relaxed, squeezing the hand at the moment of impact.
3 Mariusz jabs back, and Pete slips by moving his head to the side. Pete must maintain his ability to sprawl. Leaning over past his back leg or rotating his body will leave him out of position.
4 Mariusz leaves his left arm extended and shows a right uppercut with the right-hand pad. Pete drives off his back leg, whipping in the long uppercut.
5 Mariusz retracts the left arm, showing a left hook. Pete twists back the other way, delivering the left hook. For MMA, Pete hooks with the elbow down, minimizing the space the opponent has to duck under or shoot the lead leg.
COMBO 1 – PART 2: ROLL, LEFT HOOK, RIGHT UPPERCUT, LEFT HOOK, RIGHT CROSS
6 Mariusz throws a right hook at Pete with the pad horizontally as he wants Pete to roll under. Pete rolls under the right hook without looking down.
7 As Pete rolls, he raises his level, his weight momentarily slightly loaded on the lead leg, looking for his next target.
8 Mariusz is showing the left hook. Pete twists his lead foot, rebalancing the weight across both legs, and delivers the strike.
9 Mariusz holds the right pad facing down and Pete whips in another right uppercut.
10 Pete twists his lead foot, throwing another tight left hook.
11 Mariusz takes a small step back and shows the right cross. Pete twists his back foot, extending and rotating the right arm to end the combination with a heavy cross.
COMBO 2: JAB, RIGHT UPPERCUT, LEFT HOOK, DOUBLE RIGHT CROSS
Look at Dutch Thai boxing legend Ramon Dekkers to see how punching can be used effectively when faced with kick-and-knee fighters. Here’s a hand combination straight from ‘The Diamond’ Dekkers playbook.
1 Pete is in his stance, weight on his toes, evenly distributed across both legs.
2 Pete jabs with the left, taking care to defend himself with the right hand.
3 Pete throws the right uppercut, driving up from the hips.
4 Pete twists the lead foot and whips in a left hook.
5 Now Pete twists the back foot and drives in a long right cross.
6 Pete gets back into his ready position and acquires the next target.
7 Pete throws another straight right.
Throwing two right crosses in succession is unconventional, and may feel awkward at first, but persevere. Throw the right cross twice, reset in between to get proper rotation, step it in a little to maintain forward pressure.
COMBO 3: LEFT UPPERCUT, RIGHT UPPERCUT, LEFT HOOK, RIGHT CROSS
1 Pete is ready in his stance.
2 Pete leads off with a left uppercut.
3 Pete follows up with a right uppercut. Again, two consecutive uppercuts is an often unexpected shot, and the second shot will often sneak through the defenses.
4 Mariusz takes a little step back, as an opponent would after being hit with an uppercut, and shows a the left pad vertically. Pete whips in a long left hook.
5 Pete drives off the back leg, finishing with a big right cross.
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