Fighters to watch for a classic gaurd.

Hey younghypnotiq

You like MMA right? Have you seen Chuck Liddell fight? He was a boxer in the army so he can really throw down with people while standing. He has a gut though and I am flabbergasted at the fact that UFC guys do not throw to the stomach. You ever notice that when watching UFC?

 

I think it might be because the distance between the fighters is a lot greater than boxing fights. Another issue is if their is an opening throwing a kick would be more damaging. And lastly, MMA the opponent guards are a lot lower because they have to protect from hard kicks. What do you think?

 

I'll answer that question. Guys don't throw body shots in the UFC while standing because it's too dangerous. There's a risk of the Muay Thai clinch if you get in too close (think of the nastiest behind-the-head boxing clinch imaginable, except you can knee the guy in the face if you want to), and there's takedowns, elbow strikes, and just about everything imaginable to worry about when you get in close like that.

Striking in mixed martial arts is usually done at extreme ranges because of the kicks involved. If you're close enough to tag him with a left hook to the liver, then you're close enough to get knocked the **** out by a knee or taken down.

 

I can't picture a Muay Thai clinch at this moment but I do see your point about being dangerous. Your opponent getting control of your back can be horrid.

 

Bas Rutten very effectively used the liver shot in MMA.

 

They had a nickname for him and I think it was "livershot"

 

Please take Lewis and Hearns off that list, but do add on Bernard Hopkins and Ricardo Lopez.

And I wouldn't say Wright and Quartey have a classic guard. It's too peek-a-boo.

 

A classic stance utilizes the ability to slip, slide, and roll with punches.

While Hearns and Lewis did do their fair share of it, they kept their left hands dangling way too low. In fact, they hardly EVER kept that left hand up. And it cost them BIG TIME. Low left hand cannot be considered classic stance. It just looks good.

Even PBF knows how to keep that hand up when facing better opponents.

As for Winky and Quartey, it's all about blocking and a bit of parrying. And it limited their true potential. They practically refused to bend the knees and slip punches.

 

Classic peekaboo is both hands, palm inwards, touching the cheeks but below the eyes.