The Fundamentals of Striking in MMA: A Complete Overview

Being a good striker in MMA requires you to be well-rounded. In other words, you need to be able to strike from all ranges and angles, which requires you to be well-coached in boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai. 

The days of coming forward and swinging punches to the head and body are long gone. Nowadays, being a good striker means you must be calculated and your combinations must flow well for you to be effective.

How to be an Effective Striker in MMA 

It is better to rely on technique and precision over natural power for many reasons. Having great technique and precision means you will be landing clean shots on your opponent, and you won't need to load up on strikes to hurt them because you can do as much damage from three or four strikes as one big one. Plus, you are far more likely to be inaccurate if you load up on a shot as opposed to focusing on a technique strike. And, this will benefit your gas tank because you will waste a lot less energy if you throw snappy, precise strikes. 

One thing that helps technique and precision in your striking is your footwork. If you're throwing strikes and you're off balance then you will likely miss the mark, and you will be unstable meaning that even if you do land then you won't do damage to your opponent. Also, being off balance means that your opponent can return fire and potentially drop you, even if they don't hurt you, which reflects badly on the scorecards, and can put you in a difficult grappling situation.

Having good footwork helps fighters be elusive in their movement, so they are able to counter their opponents effectively. Having good movement is also key because if you're getting pressured and you don't know how to move and strike then you will be easy pickings for your opponent.

If you have good footwork and movement then you will have a huge advantage in the stand-up; you can dictate the range the fight is fought at. You can also catch your opponents off guard if you can quickly close the gap from outside range into kicking or boxing range. 

The previous point fits in with our next one. If you can dictate the range then you should be able to keep the fight at your preferred distance. But, if you are well-versed in all ranges of striking: kicking, punching, elbows and knees, then you will be able to combine all of these elements into your performance and put on a show.

Key Rules That Impacts Strikers

Georges St-Pierre kicks Johny Hendricks//Getty Images

It is important to know that strikes to the back of the head, the groin and the throat are illegal, and repeated offences could lead you to being disqualified. Of course, sometimes during fights some strikes may stray low, or sometimes you may accidentally poke your opponent in the eye, so staying focused and keeping your technique clean is paramount. 

Headbutts are obviously illegal, but this is another accidental issue that often crops up during fights when you have two strikers that want to close the distance; they end up mirroring each other and their heads come together. 

Limitations of Striking

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While every fight starts on the feet, which is great if you're a striker, often your opponent may be a wrestler and they know they have to get you on your back quickly. You could have the greatest technique and accuracy on the planet, but if you aren't capable of stuffing takedowns or avoiding clinch scenarios then you will be at a disadvantage. 

This is why it is vital for modern day MMA fighters to be good across all elements of the sport, even if your background is striking. It would also be good to learn offensive grappling too so that you know how to get fights to the mat. Even if it's used just as a decoy to set up your strikes. 

Best Strikers in MMA History

There have been some outstanding strikers throughout MMA history. Being the best striker doesn't necessarily mean they are the most eye-catching though. There's many fighters out there that showcase insane techniques and have power, but overall they aren't balanced enough to be labelled elite strikers. 

This list focuses on technique, movement, fluidity in combinations, and the ability to fight smart.

5. Mirko Cro Cop 

Mirko Cro Cop was flat out brutal during his Pride FC days. He had awesome technique when it came to his leg kicks, body kicks and head kicks. He was far from the flashiest of fighters, but his strikes were effective and very powerful due to his perfect technique. Most of the time he would use foot feints and his boxing to set up his signature head kick.

4. Jose Aldo

When it comes to mixing up your attacks, Jose Aldo is up there with the best of them. The former featherweight king had explosive leg kicks, he carried power in both hands, and he was dangerous in the pocket where he could put his Muay Thai skills to good use to land knees and elbows. Additionally, Aldo's legendary takedown defence allowed him to be more aggressive in his striking because he wasn't worried about defending takedowns. 

3. Anderson Silva 

Anderson Silva, in his prime, had the ability to make everybody look dumb in the cage. He had slick movement, awesome techniques from all sorts of angles and ranges, and his precision was phenomenal. He was able to dominate fighters in every possible way on the feet, whether he was the pressure fighter or the counter-striker. 

2. Israel Adesanya

When you talk about elite balance, footwork and movement, it's hard not to think of Israel Adesanya. His counter-striking is a product of his balance and his ability to create angles with his movement. Adesanya mixes up his kickboxing and his boxing, and when he's in full flow, he looks flawless in the octagon. His feints freeze his opponents like a statue and this is where he picks them apart.