Benson Henderson Teaches MMA Based Striking From The Clinch
When we talk about the clinch we instantly think of traditional Muay Thai, which works extremely well in a Muay Thai fight. Competing in Mixed Martial Arts the clinch work has to be slightly adapted to cater to the many variables MMA has to offer.
MMA is a really dynamic sport and fighters have to be good at every aspect of the fight. When you're allowed to knee or elbow your opponent in the head, slam them to the canvas and then finish them off with punches or submissions, that changes the way you set up in the clinch.
Setting up inside the clinch you need to be mindful of takedowns and be ready to sprawl in an instant. This also means you could level change into the double leg and take your opponent down too. You have a lot of options inside the clinch including trips, throws and some really devastating strikes but you must control the clinch in order to use these techniques.
Who Is Benson Henderson?
Benson Henderson is an elite Mixed Martial Artist who is currently on Bellator MMA’s roster fighting in the lightweight division. He is a former UFC champion and a former WEC champion who holds a record of 27 wins and 10 losses in Mixed Martial Arts. Benson has had multiple wins against Frankie Edgar and Donald Cerrone as well as wins against Nate Diaz, Jim Miller and Jorge Masvidal!
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Check Out The Video On Clinch Work Adapted To MMA Below!
Benson Henderson takes us through how to adapt the clinch to suit the MMA game, He talks about how he clinches and how he creates enough space so he can land those big shots.
The first thing you need to do is close the distance on your opponent so you are able to set up the clinch. There are different techniques you can use, one of which is throwing punches which distracts your opponent enough for you to attempt the clinch.
Let’s Wrap Up This Technique
Now that you have closed the distance, grab hold of a strong necktie and use your other hand to hook into your opponent's elbow. You can throw a couple of knees as a distraction then pull the elbow down to break their grip on your neck then pull their elbow away from their body. Use your necktie to pull your opponent into your elbow, make sure that when you pull their elbow down and then away, that same arm instantly circles over connecting your elbow to their face.
You can also use this technique and change the finish, once you have pulled their elbow down and away you can change levels and hit takedowns. Going into double leg or ankle pick takedowns are high percentage maneuvers. You can also execute Judo throws and trips which have proven to be very effective in MMA. Another great way to finish the fight is with knees to the body or head.
Competing in a dynamic sport like Mixed Martial arts, you need to have plenty of strings on your bow. The more weapons you have the more diverse you can be when you are looking to put down your opponent. Make sure to master all of these very effective strikes and entries into takedowns, so you can beat your opponents and get your name all over the highlight reel!
Learn More Techniques From Benson Henderson!
If you liked this video on MMA clinch work from Benson Henderson and you would like to see more videos about the way he strikes in MMA, Then check out his series Power Kicking by Benson Henderson Available exclusively on Dynamic Striking!