A guide to understand proper punching techniques from boxing and how they relate to ever evolving MMA. Guillermo Pérez

1. Boxing Technique
MMA is ever evolving
we’re seeing more and more traditional martial arts
techniques shine through, Muay Thai, TKD, Even
Karate, as athletes become more complete in their
games.
Most certainly BOXING is one of those arts.

2. These “sweet science” techniques help boxers be able to
throw 1000 punches against an opponent in 45 minutes.
They improve balance, accuracy, leverage and efficiency.
We see how fighters who are not very explosive like the
Nogueira brothers and Nick Díaz have benefited from
proper jabbing and timing of punches in recent years.
Also how fighters like Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velásquez
have adopted AND adapted effective boxing in their arsenal
with great success. And how accuracy can duplicate the
effect of straight punches as we see in Anderson Silva.

3. What we often see in MMA... wild, wide open
punching... big waste of energy, guys get tired
after just 3 or 4 flurries.
This is changing, as we’ll see
later.

4. Let’s run down the
punch techniques

5. JAB
“If you can’t jab, you can’t fight”

6. There are essentially two kinds jabs, the standard jab from your current
position and the “power jab” with a step of the lead foot.
But more importantly 2 schools of jabbing.
jabbing for distance jabbing for damage

7. Jabbing for distance uses the jab to measure and also
keep away from the opponent. Keep him/her at bay, to
setup power punches and throw their rhythm off.
So it’s power punches that do the hurting.

8. The jab is the best tool to measure range.
With proper extension comes leverage, full power
comes from the full extension of the arm... hitting at
the end of the punch. The jab shows you that range.

9. DAMAGING JABS
Defensive fighters usually not considered “big punchers” tend to jab hard.
Get close, and you get your head snapped back.
Ali, Héctor “Macho” Camacho, the Klitchskos, Ray Leonard, Floyd
Mayweather Jr. all have jabs that drop straight on their oponent.
After 6 or 7 rounds the opponent is cramped, loses confidence and stamina.
Timing broke down... Easier prey for combinations.

10. Full Extension and positioning is key

11. I superimposed these images.
Look at the precision of proper boxing
technique, Marquez and Floyd look
almost the same.

12. Effective defensive punchers all have one thing in common.
PROPER JAB TECHNIQUE, see a young Ali and marquez in
exactly the same position?

13. JABBING in MMA
In recent years we’ve seen fighters successfully
incorporating the jab to help their game plans and
impose their will.

14. Junior Dos Santos has one of the
best boxing skill sets in MMA.
Note how he lands the jab straight, channeling
the power through the body.
He took down Mir with a single clean punch and
look and him, in PERFECT BALANCE.
Only problem is, he drops his right hand.
Which is a no-no in boxing but EVEN MORE in
MMA, since you can get kicked from “nowhere”.
He has improved in that and actually, that is how
Hunt was dropped by him, a kick while his hands
were down.

15. GSP has improved his jabbing as well.
With TIME TESTED BOXING
KNOWLEDGE of “straight punches beat
round punches”.
He shifted from wasteful techniques like the
“superman punch” for a solid stiff jab, both
feet planted, to catch opponents coming in.
When his opponents charge with looping wild
striking, he jabs straight at them with great
results.
Practice makes perfect.
Note how his stance is exactly the same.

16. Johnny Hendricks is one of the
most devastating punchers in
MMA and P4P perhaps the
strongest.
But it’s not all brute force.
Notice his positioning for the jab,
perfectly balanced... yet his
opponent feels the full force.

17. Anderson has taken the jab in MMA to a whole different level.
It’s100% Ali’s coming up sideways a bit... this generates great torque in long
lean fighters. very damaging... Also tends to cut opponents. Ali’s most
celebrated TKO’s where cut stoppages.
Notice the similar way the hands connect from the hip, Anderson managed to
drop “tough as nails” opponent Forrest Griffin, with a single perfect jab.

18. STRAIGHT/CROSS
“One - Two is the most basic combination,
but also the most effective.”

19. Perfect Technique
Guillermo Rigondeaux is one of the finest technical strikers in the
world. His straight punch is the essence of perfection, like a piston it
unravels from the body in perfect balance.
All power is transferred smoothly, seamlessly, like a Tiger Wood’s
drive. Notice Donaire’s face in contrast, looks like it was hit by a
baseball bat.
This fight happened like it did, not because Rigondeaux ducked
Donarie... but because Donaire felt these punches in round one... he
was over cautious by way of lost confidence, Guillermo dominated

20. Another example, with Manny Pacquiao.
Notice that when proper technique is used, boxers look
like they’re almost “posing” for the pictures, only when
looking at the opponent’s face, you notice the power.

21. Twist the Night Away
Power comes from torque generated by twisting the torso.
Notice how the puncher’s body is completely parallel to the arm.
If the posture is frontal to the opponent while throwing the straight,
3 negatives happen:
1) not enough power 2) reduced reach 3) you give a bigger target to the opponent
Look at how Marquez posture is, his head totally sideways over the shoulder, the
classic mexican style straight punch, making counters more difficult with such a
small target and full hip and leg twist.

22. The straight is also a great way to power punch in the
middle of a combination. Usually the strongest punch is
the last or the last two... with a straight breaking a 5 or
7 punch combo, you can break the opponent’s defense
better. In this case look at the hands in the guard come
off the face, open for a quick follow up hook.

23. Straights in MMA
In my view the punch most effectively used in MMA,
commonly not landed more efficiently, for lack of setting
up from the jab or head movement or weaves.
Specially in MMA with so many ways to set up!!!
Perhaps sometimes with a bit too much leaning in.
But regardless used effectively more and more often.

24. The pioneer
Chuck is not a pure boxer. Never was.
The secret to his striking?, he was the first to deliver effective straight punches in the
UFC to his, often, wild and wide opponents, also TIMING which maximized his hand
speed. He throwed with security and feet planted, because his wrestling background
made him confident to strike, as we see now, in the best strikers in MMA, which are
often former wrestlers. (Hendo, Hendricks, Jones). Top strikers of the past like
Maurice Smith, Jens Pulver, etc. did not have this wrestling background for defense, so
they were not as efficient as Chuck was, even while boasting better punching technique.

27. Notice how Wandy keeps getting clobbered by
straight punches in UFC? they’re on to him.
That crazy wild style. Boxing in MMA has evolved,
his opponents incorporating straight punches in
their game plans.

28. MMA’s master
Anderson’s right cross is crisp and accurate, right in the chin, it comes from
the hip, Ali style... Anderson KOs, not with power, but with finesse... he
doesn’t throw to KO, he throws to land. And when your defense or reflexes
are not to par, you will get hit. That’s his secret. Anderson looks for the
perfect punch and does it with finesse and power.

29. Four good examples of right cross punches in MMA. Boxing techniques take
years to develop, specially defensive footwork and head movement.
But today’s fighters are already light years from the primitive almost
troglodyte “Tank Abbott” style of striking of MMA’s early years.

30. Uppercuts
Every striker knows, punching or even kicking is not done with
the limbs, but the body, right from the feet using torque, this is
very clear in uppercuts, since the arm does VERY little
movement.
Uppercuts follow trajectory and use the whole body, you need to
be close enough to deliver them.

31. Uppercuts are devastating punches with interesting variations.
Jabs and straights to both head and body, are similar, with some boxers
twisting their legs more than others for torque.
Uppercuts REQUIRE twisting your rear leg, it’s not a true uppercut without
that rear leg movement and body twist/lean.

32. Short Uppercut Long Uppercut
Fighters of compact build and shorter reaches have the best uppercuts.
A short uppercut with proper technique involves the hips and torso exploding in a
single movement. Tyson’s Uppers were the most devastating in recent memory.
Not because he was a big powerful guy... but from his technique and acceleration.
“speed kills” It made for a devastating mass of destruction no chin could hold.
Long uppercuts are useful to break a fighters defense, penetrate a covering opponent
and are almost always delivered with a step from the lead leg. Pac-Man uses this
technique to get in and overwhelm opponents, Zab Judah a master of it.

33. Uppercuts to the head
Are always to the chin or lower jaw, that’s why it’s such an effective KO blow.
Notice in these pictures how full torque is applied, along with exhaling for full
power. Notice the perfect trajectory... arms and hands in 90º angle coming
straight up, as the body twists NO ARM movement.

34. Uppercuts to the body
Hands should never go above the punchers chest
and very important: it’s a recoil movement.
Up and down on a single motion for maximum
impact and snap.
MMA fighters tend to let the uppercut hand go
way up, going out of balance, exposing themselves
and closing the opportunity for combinations.

35. Ultimate Power
Josesito López used uppers to gain leverage
against an opponent with much more power.
Victor Ortiz’s broken jaw is a testament of that.
Marcos Maidana is a devastating KO artist, he
used uppers effectively to compensate his
sluggish footwork, and surprise an opponent
worried about getting hit in the chin.

36. you want it close?
Fighters with longer reaches can use the uppercut as a phenomenal weapon against
forward moving inside fighters. Riddick Bowe and also George Foreman, both very
lengthy fighters, used them great against Frazier and Holyfield, more compact
opponents looking to overwhelm you against ropes.

37. Uppercuts in MMA
The cage, the clinch... no wonder uppercuts to the head were
some of the first seriously adapted punching techniques.
Used more to “soften up” opponents than a KO punch in MMA...
(small gloves contribute to that) Uppers are highly useful.

38. Junior Dos Santos is one of the best boxers
in MMA, he uses uppercuts effectively,
coming in on opponents with his great
footwork and timing.

39. The cage brings great opportunities for uppercuts, wrestlers such
as Randy Couture, who looks for the clinch made very good use of
uppers “dirty boxing” to soften up and surprise opponents.
Current fighters like Cain Velásquez have taken their boxing up a
notch, we can see the boxing technique here... a bit too open a
guard, but still a very clean connect.

40. Uppercuts to the body are seldom used and could be great against
fighters that go for low clinches to takedown.
Also as a counter to a blocked punch, fake a shoot and as the
opponent sprawls, get him in the liver... like Bas Rutten always
encouraged... in this pick, it’s sort of a “hookercut”.

41. Hooks
Hooks are the quintessential power punch.
A short efficient movement that comes outside your
peripheral vision to get you cold.
Most MMA hooks can be seen a mile away... but recently
we’re seeing the improvement.

42. There are different types of hooks, either turning the hands,
as you turn the body or with the hands in the same
position, which some refer to as “mexican style”.
Hooks are not thrown... the correct technique is using your
arms as “hooks” that connect to the opponent, all the
power comes from the body and legs.
Hands Turned Hands in front

43. Short and sweet.
Hooks are the most often missed punches.
This happens because of several things... the opponent can see it
coming if it’s not set up right. But specially because a good hook is a
short one. You need to be really close to the opponent.
Floyd totally surprised Hatton, a very serious hooker, because he is a
fighter who tends to work at distance, yet as hatton came close he
exploded with a perfect step left hook.

45. The body twist with arms in
perfect position.
A good hook is not only short, it
doesn’t expose you as much.
It does damage by way of power
transfer, it’s not an arm punch...
the arm acts as a “hook”.

46. Big Time Power
“Foreman hit you like a Mack Truck going 40 MPH... Frazier like a
Corolla going 150”. Frazier’s left hook was his only true KO punch, at
5’11” and 210 pounds he was not a big heavyweight for ANY era. And
still, with all opponents knowing this, expecting this, that left hook
exploded on you, and you were going to drop. Like he dropped Ali.
Aggresive Infighters like Tyson, Frazier, Brandon Ríos, Dempsey, etc.
use all their body and just bring it, side step, hips and hands from
behind.

47. Nonito Donaire’s left hook is a devastating
punch he uses speed and technique to
compensate his lack of “mass”.
Notice how the whole body exploded right
in his hand, transferring all that power to
the opponent’s face, in this case Jorge
Arce, a guy who can take a punch.
Until this one.

48. Left hook to the body
Is often called the most devastating punch
there is. And for good reason.
Properly placed, it just sucks the life out of
you. Old timers made sure it was part of their
arsenal. Even if you don’t KO the opponent,
that punch stays with you for rounds and
rounds, giving the puncher an edge.

49. The “Best EVA”
And certainly not referring to Phil Baroni the “NY Badass. All due respect. The best ever was the original “Sugar”...
before Rashad Evans, Shane Mosley and even Ray Leonard. There was Ray Robinson. A fighter that brought technique,
consistency, guts, finesse and power to the table like no other... a guy who fought practically every week for years...
who virtually won100 fights before his first defeat and fought the best in the world SEVERAL TIMES OVER.
Sorry for the rambling.
He also had the ultimate left hook... a beautiful technique. His technique was so flawless guys would literally FLY.
Some in the crowd even called fights fixed. “Not possible!”. He looked like he was dancing. And he was... all over you.
He made the COUNTER left hook the QUINTESSENTIAL counter. His left hook KO over a younger, extremely strong
Gene Fullmer is considered by many THE greatest KO punch of all time. And gave boxers that tool against punchers.
Fullmer KO
all pics of the
same punch

50. Hooks in MMA
The punch the most used in MMA, because that circular
motion comes natural with aggresion.
Fighters like Wandy have dropped guys with hooks for
decades now. Perhaps the most used is also one of the
punches with more gaps in the technique.
Often too open... very wild and predictable.

51. A more “primitive” open and wild
style. Power from the legs, but not
enough body twist, also very
predictable.
More effective power
transfer twisting the body
more.
Perfect technique.
Right hand up, all power
transferred from the hip straight
to the opponent’s face.

52. Overhand punches
Are they hooks?... are they straights?
Overhand punches “Volados” are a technique that requires perfect timing...
lots of practice goes into setting a trayectory. Like a missile the fighter preps
to anticipate the opponent’s movement to deliver a powerful punch aimed at
taking you down. Overhand punches are for KOs. Always bad intentions.
They are risky, exciting to watch and devastating.

53. ONE FOR THE BOOKS
Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez delivered what to many is the best example of an overhand
punch ever seen. His KO over Paul Williams in round one catapulted him near the top 3
of P4P ranks. A perfectly timed and excecuted punch.
This sequence shows the exact positioning. You set the target, bring up the punch, bt
lower the body, getting out of range and hitting the opponent from an angle he can’t see.

54. Danny García is a devastating puncher. A very basic boxer. Not the fastest, and as many
power punchers, footwork is not at the top of their arsenal.
Yet against a super fast boxer like Amir Khan, he used timing to defeat speed... and
overhand punches to give the opponent difficult angles and also to catch him as he moved.
He KO’d Khan, not with an overhand punch, but he certainly had him looking for it.
Effective punching is also having your opponent look for something, to actually deliver
your best punch unexpectedly.

55. Overhand punches can also be used to bypass opponents punches
like hooks, uppers and even a lazy straight.
Tricking the opponent with a fake to think it’s a hook, then come
up from over your punch and get you in the temple or cheek.

56. Overhand punches
in MMA
Very effective, since MMA brings opportunities to crouch, sprawl and shoot.
We see a lot of god overhand shot in MMA, guys like Fedor, Hendo and
Liddell made it their bread and butter, surprising their opponents with this
unorthodox technique. In later years their lack of setup for it, made it more
expected. Still, get a bit careless and you’ll be sleeping.

57. The Last Emperor
Love him or Idolize him, Fedor Emileanenko was undoubtedly an exciting fighter.
His boxing was not technical... nor that good even.
But he used that overhand right like nobody in his division. He exploded out of
nowhere clipping his always taller opponents with all his power behind it... breaking
their defense so he could come in and get an armbar, a choke or lock.
Most of Fedor KOs were via Ground and Pound... he seldom KOd an opponent with a
single punch. But this overhand was so feared, it distracted opponents.

58. No Child’s Play
Oh Chuckie. He wrote the book on overhand rights. Even boxers have taken a
note or two on Liddell’s technique. He used Overhands for leverage extending his
already long reach and exploding on opponents. He KO’d Overeem in japan with
it. In fact, had chuck hit more guys on the chin instead of the forehead, his KOs
would have been EVEN more and with fewer punches.

59. Surprise the striker
To get respect of the harder puncher, we see more
MMA fighters adapting overhand punches.

60. JDS is perhaps the best pure boxer in HW division right now
in 2013. In this overhand his only mistake is punching up...
didn’t turn the hand enugh to punch with the knuckles... he
would have KOd Cain right there if it landed clean.

61. Thank you
Hope this humble effort motivates to find out more
and incorporate boxing in your interests... as a martial
arts it’s becoming more prevalent in MMA everyday...
as a true MMA AND Boxing fan, I love both sports.
Certainly MMA can gain from boxing, as from
everything else since it is ever evolving.