# Do most mma fighters have terrible footwork?



## rabakill (Apr 22, 2007)

Is it just me or is it true that most mma fighters have abysmal footwork, simple concepts like how to move back and forth, side to side and at 45 degree angles seems like something very few mma fighters use. 

Seems to me like most guys are taught circle away from the power hand and that's it, I don't know, just thought I noticed a trend of most mma fighters utilizing less than amateur footwork. I don't think that even means you are more likely to be taken down because good footwork means you should be balanced and have fluidity in all movements. Comments? Thoughts? Even a squared wrestling stance could have good movements but most guys just stand there and wait to exchange.


----------



## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

No, it's not just you. I also think that a majority of MMA fighters have bad footwork. If they actually DID really circle away from their opponent's power hand, which you mention, then it already would be quite an improvement for a lot of them. Most of them are flatfooted and only know forward and backward movement. Probably it's because they didn't learn the basics from start on and later when you already have a certain fighting style, it's very hard to learn good footwork, because under pressure you tend to get back to what you know best.


----------



## OU (Sep 26, 2012)

Boxing footwork won't work in MMA so if that is what you are looking for you are mistaken. Your lead leg will turn in Faber vs Aldo type situation. Also boxing stance make a single leg incredibly easy just as Randy showed vs Toney. You could find a prime boxer rather then the fat old slob Toney and it would be similar results. That leg is just out there for the picking.


----------



## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

It's not about a boxing stance, but the ability to not move only backwards to avoid an attack and to attack in angles. Dos Santos, Machida, Silva, Edgar and some others use footwork to bring themselves in optimal distance to attack and to avoid their opponent's attack, whereas fighters with bad footwork make their fights rather slugfests and rely more on raw power and their chin.


----------



## OU (Sep 26, 2012)

Everyone you named has a different style that would explain their stance and movement. JDS has a more boxing stance, Machida has a karate stance with a sumo twist and Edgar is just an annoying movement fighter.


----------



## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

OUSOONERSOU said:


> Everyone you named has a different style that would explain their stance and movement. JDS has a more boxing stance, Machida has a karate stance with a sumo twist and Edgar is just an annoying movement fighter.


Yes, they have different styles, but so what¿ The important thing is that they DO use footwork for good movement.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

I think footwork is really dependent on the fighters original sport. Example boxers have good footwork and wrestlers are supposed to. Any other style seems funky if you were watching a boxing match but this isn't boxing and you have to remember that there is grappling to through in there.


----------



## rabakill (Apr 22, 2007)

I get that it's different for every combat sport. But you'd figure standing flatfooted and not moving your head has got to be a terrible defense no matter what style you are using.


----------



## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

It's simple, majority MMA fighters are hybrids; wrestlers turned into fighters so they don't have a deep understanding of the importance of it. They have a wide base and that's really their basis or you have ones who practice one discipline. BJJ does not focus much on this so that's why many (World champs) have a difficult transition into striking. 

A simple tweek in how you pivot can mean the difference in power. IE: You have to pivot your lead leg when throwing a hook, but I can assure you most people don't know that. Or pivot your back leg when throwing a roundhouse or a right cross. This is basic, but it has to be instinctual when you're fighting in real time. 

I learned footwork playing basketball and all the tricks behind it I think in many ways the same can be applied. In order to beat your opponent you need the right positioning.

We all know who has the best footwork. Going to list ones with solid movement.

Edgar, DC, JDS, Bisping, GSP, Condit, and Lyoto's is second best. 

May not be the best, but I like Erick Silva and Justin Lawrence's style because that's very similar to mine. 

Anderson is the ONLY one who adopts multiple style of footwork and movement. Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Capoeira, boxing stance, orthodox, and south paw. I bet most didn't realize that. He's so fluid that when you're watching you don't realize that he's doing it as Patrick Cote said it best. "One moment he's behind you, the next he's to the side." That fight Anderson displayed superior footwork and movement.

I remember watching a whole video on Anderson's footwork. It's really quite amazing the knowledge he has and HOW HE APPLIES IT INSIDE THE OCTAGON.

In fact this is a good thread because people overlook this.


----------



## King Cobra (Nov 4, 2012)

OUSOONERSOU said:


> Boxing footwork won't work in MMA so if that is what you are looking for you are mistaken. Your lead leg will turn in Faber vs Aldo type situation. Also boxing stance make a single leg incredibly easy just as Randy showed vs Toney. You could find a prime boxer rather then the fat old slob Toney and it would be similar results. That leg is just out there for the picking.



Oh please stop it with this old played out garbage already bro. You don't know what you are talking about.

Boxing footwork is used successfully in MMA already. Frankie Edgar, Anderson Silva, JDS and many others employ Boxing footwork.

They train BOXING for their footwork. So that invalidates your post. 

Boxing stances comes in many different forms. Not just one. The footwork is what makes the stances effective.

Using the Toney fight as an example is stupid. Toney was standing their applying ZERO footwork. That has nothing to do with the discussion.

Go be open minded, be your own man instead of a puppet, don't fall into the stupid Boxing vs MMA fiasco, and go train Boxing. Then come back to me.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Well also remember those fighters use some kind of grappling defense. Frankie Edgar's background actually comes from wrestling with boxing worked in there. Anderson Silva is more kickboxing stance and JDS has take down defense because I agree a truly normal boxing stance doesn't work in MMA.


----------



## King Cobra (Nov 4, 2012)

kantowrestler said:


> Well also remember those fighters use some kind of grappling defense. Frankie Edgar's background actually comes from wrestling with boxing worked in there. Anderson Silva is more kickboxing stance and JDS has take down defense because I agree a truly normal boxing stance doesn't work in MMA.



These responses are ignorant. First of Boxing has many numerous stances. Many of these stances are used in MMA. Don't try to discredit Boxing by saying this and that. I met Edgar in Jersey. He works on his stance from training with his BOXING coach. Wrestling does not have striking in it. That made no sense what you said. Now all of a sudden College wrestling has footwork to defend against strikers? LOL.

Go and meet Edgar yourself and he will tell you. 

Silva was a Pro Boxer so your argument is dumb there too. His kickboxing trait is Muay Thai. Muay Thai stances works less effectively than Boxing in MMA because you are left with a wider target for you to get smash with and your chin is left more exposed for punches. Example if Belfort vs Wanderlei Silva. Anderson Silva's stance is more like Muhammad Ali. Silva himself admits to impersonating Ali's stance and defense. If you look at Silva's stance, it is way different from Muay Thai.

And Belfort has a Boxing video where he breaks down switching from the traditional Boxing stance to MMA stance. The foot placement is not that big a difference. It is minor.

Too many Boxing haters on MMA forums act as if they know what the hell they are talking about when in reality they just have a bias hate towards Boxing because of some stupid old grudge and yet they never train Boxing. But what kills me is seeing how MMA fighters successfully apply Boxing but these idiots wants to ignore it with their warped sense of reality and find reasons to say that they didn't apply Boxing. It's quite disturbing actually.


----------



## Magog (Jan 20, 2008)

OUSOONERSOU said:


> Everyone you named has a different style that would explain their stance and movement. JDS has a more boxing stance, Machida has a karate stance with a sumo twist and Edgar is just an annoying movement fighter.


Sounds like a BJ penn fan to me.

Edgar moves very well. In a short time he took a MT fighter and had him out point fight Torres. that's amazing.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

What kind of footwork does BJ have?


----------



## Magog (Jan 20, 2008)

kantowrestler said:


> What kind of footwork does BJ have?


You know that's an excelent question. I assume your talking about the first 5 mins of the fight bj penn is the on your asking about?


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

That is exactly what I'm talking about.


----------

