Issue 069
January 2011
There’s more to being your gym’s answer to ‘The Axe Murderer’ than going all-out with those looping punches. Although we’re going to show you how to do those as well. Follow our guide and you too could be the toast of ‘hardcore’ MMA supporters!
Clinch and knee
Knees from the plum clinch were always a staple technique of Brazil’s infamous Chute Boxe Academy fighters, Wanderlei being foremost among them.
In the Gym
Don’t neglect kneeing a bag, but clinching the pad man and working knees straight to, and around, the ribs will give a real sense of the balance and distance within the plum clinch. As for the clinch itself, be sure to point your fingers up and lever down on the crown of the head, not the neck. Try jerking movements to bring the head down if the pad man retains posture.
In Action
Look back to Pride Final Conflict 2003 and Pride 28 to see Wanderlei’s brutal stoppages of ‘Rampage’ Jackson from the plum clinch.
HOOKS
Wanderlei’s Pride performances were characterized by brutal onslaughts, either from the knees, head stomps or ferocious combinations of wild, powerful hooks.
In the Gym
By using a tornado ball against the wall you can develop your speed and power for delivering barrages of hooks to body and head, just like Wand.
In Action
Wanderlei showed a return to classic form at UFC 84 with a blistering combination of right and left hooks that downed Keith Jardine only seconds into the first round.
Aggression and Intimidation
In his Pride heyday, The Axe Murderer ruled the middleweight division with iron fists, often winning the fights before they’d even begun with his reputation for ruthlessness and intense stare downs. His attitude was a powerful psychological force.
In the Gym
Wanderlei, ‘Shogun’, Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ and the rest of the Chute Boxe lads were notorious for their brutal gym tear-ups that often made the fights look tame by comparison. Although you may not want to risk injury by going all-out in the gym, a certain amount of hard sparring is necessary to develop and maintain a fearless attitude by becoming accustomed to the pressure and pain you will experience in a fight. It’ll also teach you to recognize the right time to switch on and overwhelm your opponent.
In Action
When Quinton Jackson called out Wanderlei in Pride, Wand wasted no time in tearing into the ring and getting in his challenger’s face, leaving Rampage looking visibly shocked.
Kicking floored opponents
Although illegal under UFC rules, some Japanese promotions and Brazilian events still allow soccer kicks and stomps.
In the Gym
Extreme care must be taken to develop accuracy when kicking to a downed pad man. Stomp through the guard or shuck the legs and kick around the guard to develop the Wanderlei style.
In Action
Wanderlei’s head-kick beatings of Kazushi Sakuraba put paid to Saku san’s status as a top-flight fighter. ‘The Gracie Killer’ was never able to recover his previous form after the severity of punishment Wand dished out.
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