Hitting The Up Elbow Off The Takedown Feint By Edson Barboza
Landing effective strikes in any fight can be tricky, because of the work fighters put into their defenses. It is an art form in itself just to close the distance on your opponent, most fighters are ready to counter or block any strikes you bring to the table. These days you need to come into a fight with a game plan and you need contingency plans in case your initial plan does not work.
MMA has great striking applications because of the variables involved, like setting up a Thai clinch or shooting in for a takedown. The benefits of utilising takedowns in MMA is exceptional, when you shoot for a takedown you can take the fight to a different level. Fighters are aware of takedowns, so using a feint which is pretending to take your opponent down, but then landing a strike can be a very effective weapon.
That’s why Dynamic Striking has brought you one of the best fighters around to show you his striking technique. In this video Edson Barboza shows us how he feints his opponent so he can effectively land the up elbow to the face. This manoeuvre is a popular one and is used by many UFC fighters with their own variations attached.
So Who Is Edson Barboza?
Edson Barboza is a Brazilian-American professional Mixed Martial Artist and a former Muay Thai Kickboxer. He is currently ranked #9 in the featherweight rankings in the UFC and holds an MMA record of 22 wins with 9 losses. He also has a Muay Thai fight record of 25 wins with 3 losses with 22 victories by way of knockout 17 of them were first round finishes. So you can rest assured Edson Barboza knows how to execute a knockout!
Check Out Edson's Instructional! Click Learn More!
Check Out The Video Below By Edson Barboza Connecting An Up Elbow!
Edson starts this video explaining his favourite knockout and how many UFC fighters use the up elbow in conjunction with a takedown feint.
The first thing you have to do is get on the move because a stationary fighter is very predictable. When you're ready to attack you change levels, that means to lower your stance towards the mat. Once you change levels you pretend to shoot in for the take down, as your opponent goes to defend you step forward executing the up elbow to the face of your opponent.
An important detail is to use a two step process, the first step is stepping in and lowering your stance to feint the takedown. The second step is to drive forward off your legs and lift your body up towards your opponents head, then connect with a sharp up elbow.
Another important detail is to change the speed of your steps, your first step into the feint is a normal step in. The second step is a faster step at your opponent, this creates a situation that has your opponent caught off guard.
This technique is a seriously efficient one and like Edson Barboza said it is used by many UFC fighters. So make sure to add this technique to your repertoire and you will soon be knocking out your opponents with ease!
Learn More From Knockout Artist Edson Barboza!
If you liked this technique that Edson barboza taught and you want to find out more about his fighting techniques, then check out his series Buzzsaw Kicking Mechanics by Edson Barboza Available exclusively on Dynamic Striking!