Hi guys Sawadee Kap ;)

For those of you unaware I am a self proclaimed Cryptomaniac as well as a martial arts enthusiast.

I have spent about 8 years training in different disciplines and competed in both in Taekwondo and Freestyle Wrestling. Currently I am residing in Thailand where I am avidly training Muay Thai.

All of that aside this article will explain facets of advanced striking and why all striking martial arts are inherently similar at an advanced level. Hopefully this article will clarify why someone like Conor McGregor can make an easy competitive transition to boxing etc.

So when we look at the difference between both boxing and MMA or kickboxing their are two major things that change being both: distance control and technical utilization. Distance control changes because in kickboxing or mixed martial arts I have the ability to keep my opponent in kicking range therefore to come into punching range my opponent has to account for a kick. Also, I have the ability to clinch for longer periods of time allowing me to grab and keep a counter puncher who likes to fight in outside range in close range. Additionally in close range I can utilize techniques that split the guard such as elbows or knees which makes close range "pressure" boxing a very dangerous game. When we look at technical differences there are a couple.

1. boxing utilizes much more footwork than kickboxing, this is due to kicking and leg kicking which facilitates fighters in a square ring to corner fighters that like to counter punch and utilize footwork, thus alot of the time you find in Muay Thai they will trade blow for blow to control space. In MMA footwork can be utilized much more because it's harder to corner someone in an octagon. Ex Arthur King William vs Ignashov
2. Next in boxing you can use more head movement. This is simply because you don't have to worry about headkicks or knees. If you use too much head movement in kickboxing you are likely to have a punch feinted followed by a chained headkick. If you put your head too low to the ground you are going to eat a knee. Head movement is a dangerous game in kickboxing or MMA.
3. In boxing you can use guards differently. The Philly shell is awesome you can block the head with your shoulder roll and body with your arm. The Philly shell guard gets your arm guarding your body broken in kickboxing because people will simply just kick through it to the body. Additionally in boxing you can pressure fight with the high guard without worrying about elbows knees or prolonged clinch.

So now that you understand some of the difference in technicalities let me explain to you why striking is inherently similar on an advanced level. Advanced striking consists of two main things

1. Rythm control or the cadence I set in break to control my opponents timing as well as figuring out my opponents cadence to gauge his timing
2. tendency reads which is basically I do this you do what, I move here what do you do? In many fights you will see fighter going slow in the first round this is what they are doing "making reads". Tendency reads are how most knockouts are set up. And it is the chess aspect of fighting. Fighters like Vasyl Lomachenko are masters of their sport because they have the ability to know what you will do before you do it. Fighting isn't speed power precision etc those are all just contingencies. The best fighters master tendency reads.

1. Pattern setting and breaking which is pretty straight forward and is a way to make it hard for your opponent to make reads.

All of these advanced factors go into settings up the Big Kabosh! And the masters of striking can compete in any discipline with a mastery of advanced techniques. It is why muay Thai fighters Samart Payakaroon or Somrak Khamsing compete in Muay Thai their entire life and then master the technicalities of boxing to later compete and become world champions. In fact if you look at the lower weights in boxing you will see many Thai competitors and champions. There are almost no Western boxing gyms in Thailand.

So remember guys advanced striking is what makes fighting inherently similar throughout all striking disciplines.

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