UFC FN 47 Lawler Brown

1st Fight: Green/Thompson: Both Thompson and Green standing tall looking to strike which is exactly what they did. Green applied pressure and octagon control and scored significantly more than Thompson according the the punch counter. I must admit I didn't see all these shots however I certainly saw that almost all of Thompson's counters came up short in each exchange which reflects this. This no doubt was due to him being the smaller fighter and his insistence on leading his counter with his right (rear hand) rather than his left (lead hand) and throwing single or 2 shot combos rather than 3s and 4s. Green won by split decision because he was in Thompson's home town, feel he could have upped his work rate too though (and his corner agreed).

2nd Fight: Guida/Bermudez.Very active first round. plenty of head movement particulary ducks (feinting takdowns) and displays of all MMA (striking, wrestling, BJJ) particulary by Bermudez who strung combinations (12rear leg kick) together very early on hitting head to body, combining kicks and pressing attacks often into the clinch in which he utilised the knees to the body and head, he also constantly advanced his position. He also stuffed some takedown attempts in a standing position and locked in an in arm guilotine as control to throw more knees. single escape/ high crotch, get balance then twist knee and hip away from hold sharply.

3rd Fight: Johnson/Noguara. Not much to say. both stood tall looking to box withhigh hands, both extending lead hand to setup rear power shot. However Johnson applied forward pressure, had a longer reach and was First to land this shot cleanly which rocked Little Nog. He then went in and dirty boxed for the stoppage, in particular 3 right uppercuts in this position did most of the damage.

4th Fight: Lawler/Brown. A brawler fest with high quality technique, multiple combos to head and body by both Both using lead hand to measure distance and setup rear hand combos., good wrestling and BJJ particularly by Brown who completely stuffed Lawler's top postion when on the ground and dominated much of the clinch with his MT technique. However this suited his longer limbs. He was particularly effective at elbows, when he missed a right hand he would turn over the the right elbow.  Lawler throw some great body kicks in his SP stance. I hate to say it but I think Brown might actually have won this in terms of strikes landed but at the end Lawler was practically untouched and Brown a bloody mess. Will have to watch again. 

Robbie Lawler FO interview

I found a few lines he said very informative...

"I'm not necessarily going in there to break his will or break his mind. I'm going out there to do what I do best,  which is work on my skills, be sharp and being fast to react. And then anything else kind of takes care of itself"

After that I'm just going to worry about getting myself in shape, getting my mind right and working on all the skills that are going to make me the best in the world

(Does he think he has better skills than his opponent then?)

No. i don't really look at it that way , i think he has all the skills , all the techniques, its just about whose going to be able to utilise them (their skills) best. thats all im concentrating on right now..

im not even worried about what he brings to the table as much as what i want to bring to the table. pretty much 95% of my camp is in my head"

(Training has been) "maintainence...basically im strengthening all my connector muscles so everyting kind of comes together, making sure everything is tight and strong... i do alot to take care of my body, and one critical thing i do a lot now is I listen to my body, and sometimes I need a break. sometimes a day off or a really light day is better than a hard day, so i can keep getting better... and thats the key for me (is): I want to get better every day".


(Psychology) I don't let the small things bother me... it just makes life easier to concentrate on the things you can control... the things that just don't really matter  i dont spend any time thinking about. i just take the thinking out of it as much as possible and just go with my heart... i block everything out and concentrate on the task at hand".... 

There is no forever. there is only today and competeing and improving everyday. the rest, as I say, will take care of itself...Why would i look back, why would i look too far forward? my mindset is now. my mind set is focused on winning (the next exchange/fight) against Matt Brown.

UFC FN Dublin

Gunnar Nelson
Was setting up the right by extending his left hand constantly as a measure. Thought he could have thrown more shots after the right though. Finished Cummins by fighting off a single leg, turning it into a guillotine, then dropping to knees to bring fight to the ground, took the back, locked in a body triangle,  softened up with punches and finished with a RNC.

Connor McGregor
Was keeping a lot of pressure on when standing and advancing position when on the ground. He hurt Brandao 30 secs from the end with a series of left hands (rear hand) to the side of the head around the temple while Brandao was stepping left , away from the punch, lessening the power but creating an easier angle to the side of head / the temple. This wobbled him and when he dropped to a knee the finish was a TKO from GNP.

• stuff a single with a guillotine
• use a standing guillotine to advance fight to ground.
• MAYBE something to incorporate, setting right hands as an orthodox, by pushing opponent to there right (my left).
• Thinking on this a little more, the classic setup for a right hand is sending them onto it (stepping left so they circle onto it) and the left hook setup is stepping to the right. However the making them circle right will setup a left hook down the middle and a OHR around the side.  While stepping left (depending on their angle) will setup a right hand down the centre or to the side and left down the centre or a left hook the the side. I guess ultimately circling right or left can setup either hands, the key is to stay observant.  

Combo drills

4 punch drill. Go for observation and creativity over speed and power. Hit where the hole in the guard is!(head?body?left? Centre? Right?) Don't worry if there isn't a hole on the first punch this is standard, holes will emerge after the first punch when they have reacted/moved to your initial shot.... Then reduce the 4 punches to 3 then 2 and eventually 1, as you reduce the length of the combo this will work more your speed and reactions.

Sparring Fundamentals + Basic Strategy

Sparring "Fundamentals" means working on five main things.
1. Protect Chin = Stance+Pace.  Feet wider than shoulders, chin down, layback so you can see,  protect chin =  lift lead shoulder to protect chin on that side, lift rear hand, run thumb along jaw bone to protect the other side,  lift lead hand to centre to protect butt of chin. Pace between lead and rear foot to keep fluid.

2. Get Eye level or lower to ensure your reach is at it's maximum and chin is protected.
3. Observation= chin / centre line pro-actively focusing on your target and their centre will ensure you stay offensive and see all attacks. "when/where can I hit them".
4. Aim: Use lead hand to  gauge range .  Be it on the front or back foot this will massively aid your ability to  hitt without overcommitting.  

5. Get Shoulders through on all punches. To protect your chin and make your punches harder.

When it gets easy to not get hit and harder to find shots you are both working your fundamentals better. Move on to

Basic Boxing Strategy: 

1. Combinations to try and create wholes. Use 2s and 3s initially, remember to punch where the whole in the guard is. Head? Body? Left? Centre? Or Right? (this is why its so important to be observant when drilling the "four punch drill"). Then as you get the better of them increase combos to 3s, 4s and more..

Note: as much as possible try to be in the moment and punch where the hole is. But you may have a couple of go-to combos if flustered.
131(final jab landing down the centre after left hook moving their guard),
123 (the left hook landing around the back of the ear after jab and right bring guard foward)
125 (the left uppercut landing up the middle when jab and right widen the guard a little
112 (the right hand landing on the left side of the face where the jabs have cleared the guard)
223/5 (the left hook/UC landing down the centre after the righthands widening the left guard.

2. Hit where the hole is Head or Body (left/centre/right?)

Wrestling taking the back from Sprawl

Wrestling
Stuff a double leg, with double unders initially then Place chest on top of their back, sprawl lead leg back and drop to knees. This will turtle them up making it easy to take their back....

Striking Practice With Dan

Today we practised MT roundhouses and Boxing.

Muay Thai:
Practised 180 hip turns (leading with rear hip and as it passes your lead leg transferring weight to the ball on your supporting leg)
Then practised 360 hip turns (same technique only turning through 360 degrees).
Finally practised leg, mid and head kicks with blocks,
OBS:  kicking with inside of shin is far less painful than turning foot all the way over. this is likely because you are landing on the larger tibia bone.

Boxing:
did lots of sparring drill specifically 4 shot drill then reducing it down to 1 shot each.  this was great for working and emphasising fundamentals.  1. Looking at chin. 2. getting eye level (or lower) and 3.  getting shoulders through on punches. the 4 shot drill is great for working  your own combos and defending a plethora of shots.  1  shot drill is great sharpening shoulders and reactions as it is so unforgiving.

Then we sparred the fundamentals (no centre line strategy).    1. Looking at chin. 2. getting eye level (or lower) and 3.  getting shoulders through on punches.
OBS: when only sparring fundamentals the only way to get a shot through is to either be more fundamentally correct than your opponent or throw multiple shots. 
NB: Fundamental Sparring is working only 1. Looking at chin. 2. getting eye level (or lower) and 3.  getting shoulders through on punches.(no centre line strategy).

Solo Striking Practice

Was practising my MT and Boxing today. Recorded it might upload if I can figure out how to.

Muay Thai
My roundhouses need a tighter guard and more pivot on the ball of my foot.

Boxing
Tried out the "front foot angles" I noticed in ufc 175.
Tried out the following...DOES IT WORK IN REALITY?! (NEED TO SPAR IT)
1.Step laterally left off centre line then diagonally back in to it and lead with left hook.
2. Step laterally RIGHT off centre line then diagonally back in to it and lead with OHR.

Dan Clinch Workout

MUAY THAI
Collar Tie Pummelling: Thai Bump&Pop - insert hand (uppercut elbow with hip into their chest /armpit) then slam inner elbow into jaw. Thai Snake ensure you slap not push elbow out of way. 

Defending Collar Tie: When in collar tie elbow quad and rip to body until you can duck under escape... 

WRESTLING
Wrestling Offense: don't be scared to manoeuvre their arms for duckunders slidebys and slide arounds. Whizzers are good setups too.

Wrestling Defense: Stuff takedowns by getting under hooks, blocking inner thigh/knee, dropping level even to knees if needed.

UFC175: Lateral Foot Movement Setting up Shots when Boxing

UFC 175 rob font ko (1.13.25) stepped lateral L (l-r) lateral R (r-l, back to centre line), drive straight in 12.

Dan Ground Work

Escapes: Trap and roll pull hard on trapped foot for more leverage. Heel hook foot across when knee elbow fails.

Control: Knee on belly good for controlling larger op, side control good for sub's on larger op. Armbar from bottom hold arm and use other hand to man handle ops neck to ease turn.

Elbows in The Clinch

Find that pressing an upright hand , specifically finger into face clears enough to land the elbow rather than the forearm. 

Sparring with Si and Ben Notes

Si's and Ben are both settling down on the back foot and looking for counters and getting them too.

Need to ensure my fundamentals are correct (not lazy) on entries.
1. get shoulders through on every punch for more protection from counters
and
2.  With Si as he's taller, adapt guard on left hand leads from chin to temple area to avoid his reaction Jab.
3. Also incorporating a little head movement might help BUT remember "don't move head to evade punches, move head to look for shots of your own!".