Future Evolutions in MMA: MT Standing Elbows

 Haven't whored any articles here lately but had a few requests and thought I'd re-emerge with the first in a new series I've been working on.



Part One is basically an intro and history; Part Two will be more technique-specific on MT elbows with examples of MMA applications. The next version will be on Erik Paulson's MMA striking creation, called "STX Kickboxing" with comments from Erik on all the arts the system is comprised of (Savate, Kyokushin, Dutch MT, Jeet Kune Do, etc.) and how they train it at CSW.



Comments, feedback and requests are always welcome.



Future Evolutions In MMA: Muay Thai Standing Elbows (Part One) 



This is the introduction of a new series on Bloody Elbow. It will serve as an attempt to gaze into the future and analyze techniques and strategies that we might see applied more often and effectively in top-level MMA.


Way back in June of 2010, I connected with professional MMA fighter, BJJ black belt and Thai specialist "Magical" Ray Elbe for an interview that never went to print. At the time, Elbe was with the renowned Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket, Thailand, where he spent 5 years as the head MMA instructor, often overseeing the development of premiere MMA fighters who visited the training facility to sharpen up their striking repertoires.


With the "Future Evolutions in MMA" theme in mind, I questioned Elbe on his ideas and -- keep in mind, this was in 2010 -- his answer proved quite prescient.



Ray Elbe: "Standing Elbow strikes are going to be the next evolution of MMA. If you look at the results of the UFC, Bobby Hoffman vs. Mark Robinson in 2001 was the last time we have seen a standing elbow KO an opponent inside of the Octagon.


That is almost 9 years since someone has KO'd an opponent with a very traditional Muay Thai strike in the UFC. At your local Muay Thai stadium, rarely, if ever, can you witness an 8-fight event that doesn't showcase a standing elbow KO."



Part 1: The History of the Elbow Strike


The elbow strike is a great example of how certain techniques can evolve in MMA. Elbows in the embryonic years of MMA generally consisted of those with a downward trajectory and were often applied from the standing position when an opponent had dropped levels and was attacking the waist or the legs for a takedown attempt. Though not every elbow strike was delivered in a straight line down from the ceiling and perpendicular to the floor, many were, with leviathan Paul Varelans' remorseless TKO of Cal Worsham at UFC 6 standing as the archetype.


However, when the sport came under fire for it's purported glorification of violence and marketing of brutality, the unified rules were adopted to promote consistency and safety. The institution of the unified rules brought about the addition of weight classes and the banishment of certain techniques. The 12-to-6 o'clock elbow and striking to the back of the neck/head were among the latter, which resulted in infrequent use of effective or fight-ending elbow strikes.

 


Our friend the elbow re-emerged with more regularity a few years later, mostly as a revolutionary new tool to complement a wrestler's ground-and-pound arsenal. Longstanding champion Tito Ortiz deserves mention here: Ortiz is often heralded for his ability to punish opponents from inside the full guard and without passing to a more advantageous position. The key catalyst for Ortiz' vicious ground-and-pound was slashing downward with a windmill of cleaving elbows.


It's not that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" was the first to introduce elbows for ground striking, but Ortiz was very intelligent and technical with the way he employed his elbows. For a guard player to stabilize himself, avoid damage and start being effective with submissions or sweeps from his back, having full guard with strong wrist control -- both to prohibit being punched and to gain more control -- is the ideal strategy.


In this scenario, from the top position when his opponent secured wrist control, Ortiz would use their grip on his wrist as a pivot point and rotate his shoulder forward to fire down powerful elbows with a lot of torque. Though there is no grappling in traditional Muay Thai, the science behind "The Art of 8 Limbs" was reinforced by this technique. Typically, controlling the wrist of a top-player prevented them from punching, but Ortiz wisely capitalized on the diversity of Muay Thai's 8-Limb philosophy by striking effectively with the elbow even though his fist was being controlled.


During this era, Jeremy Horn unveiled another fairly groundbreaking type of elbow strike that's still used on the ground today. Horn, a talented grappler known for his slick guard passing, would open up opportunities from the top position with the Head-Palm elbow. At extremely close range -- too close to wind up for a punch -- Horn would open his hand and place his palm over his opponent's head, hold it in place by putting some weight on it and then slide his hand off while dropping an elbow down in its place. This technique was subsequently employed by many of the Miletich Fighting Systems representatives, Matt Hughes being the most notable.




FULL ARTICLE HERE



 

 great article. i love standing elbow strikes. 

ttt

 The jumping 12 to 6 elbow used a lot in Muay Thai is illegal under the bullshit unified rules.

Ttt Phone Post

 TTT

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x24m1k_sakmongkol-vs-jongsanan_sport


http://youtu.be/K6MMjtVU_2E


EckY -  The jumping 12 to 6 elbow used a lot in Muay Thai is illegal under the bullshit unified rules.

  I feel very strongly that there's a ton of elbows that are CLOSE to 12 to 6 that would be perfectly legal, yet fighters shy away from anything remotely resembling a downward elbow.



The only elbow that's illegal is one that slices directly downward in a straight line perpendicular to the floor, i.e. "the karate guy breaking bricks." I know this isn't the best or most realistic example, but someone posted this gif in the article and this elbow would be perfectly legal.




john joe - Dallas Winston isthe MMA writer i want to be when i grow up

  Wouldn't be where I am (where am I again?) without the awesome opportunities you gave me.



On a lighter note, ladies and gents, John Joe has agreed to chop off a few training partner's heads with the diagonal elbow and film it for our viewing pleasure. Let the beheading begin.


DanTheWolfman - 
If you like different elbows.......

  What's up Wolfman? Nice vid, as always.



I'm training Thai elbows with Ryan later today in preparation for Part Two of this article.  :) Hit me up if you're ever in town again.

 It is true that the downward to the floor elbow is the only one that is supposed to be illegal, however I have seen refs warn/penalise fighters before for using the point of their elbow even when it is practically horizontal to the floor.

DanTheWolfman -
If you like different elbows.......

Nice vid Phone Post

Gokudamus stole my name - http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x24m1k_sakmongkol-vs-jongsanan_sport





http://youtu.be/K6MMjtVU_2E







  See? Shit like that is why I wanted to get in touch.  :)



Thanks for the pm -- I'll hit you up later today.








Sakmongkol vs Jongsanan by n0xin



 

l8r

GladiatorGannon - l8r

  Always look forward to and appreciate your insight.

 Wish I could find some footage of Horn using the Head-Palm elbow.



Does everyone know what I'm talking about there? If so, can you remember specific fights where he used it?

Dallas Winston -  Wish I could find some footage of Horn using the Head-Palm elbow.



Does everyone know what I'm talking about there? If so, can you remember specific fights where he used it?

Good friend of mine trains these relentlessly as part of his conditioning circuits. He won his last fight (with me cornering him) via this strike. Side control. Dropped a couple regular elbows, and his opponent turned his head away, which really sets up the head-palm elbow. I'm two feet from the action, looking right at his opponents eyes, which go out after a single shot from this technique.



The natural reaction to the sliding of the palm off the head is to follow the palm forward from the release of the pressure, which only serves to add to the power of the strike. Vicious power. I had also heard that Horn was the innovator, but I don't recall when he might have used it.

Forgot to mention in that same fight, that the throw was set up by an elbow from the clinch. His opponent wanted to take away a second elbow and just gave up the underhook on that side.



My opinion is that two of the least trained situations are the 50/50 clinch (although the MT clinch seems popular) and ground striking.

zedlepln - 
Dallas Winston -  Wish I could find some footage of Horn using the Head-Palm elbow.



Does everyone know what I'm talking about there? If so, can you remember specific fights where he used it?

Good friend of mine trains these relentlessly as part of his conditioning circuits. He won his last fight (with me cornering him) via this strike. Side control. Dropped a couple regular elbows, and his opponent turned his head away, which really sets up the head-palm elbow. I'm two feet from the action, looking right at his opponents eyes, which go out after a single shot from this technique.



The natural reaction to the sliding of the palm off the head is to follow the palm forward from the release of the pressure, which only serves to add to the power of the strike. Vicious power. I had also heard that Horn was the innovator, but I don't recall when he might have used it.

It's devastating from high half-guard and side control because you can control the head with your hand/palm, which puts you in position to cinch in a choke if the opportunity is available, or hammer down a short and accurate elbow if your opponent holds still. Plus, having their head stationary and pinned on the ground with nowhere to go drastically increases the impact of the strike.



Just like Neer kind of followed the Wrist-Control Counter Elbows in the clinch that Tito used on the ground, Menjivar used a variation of the Head-Palm Elbow to thwack Charlie Valencia. Notice how he's pushing on the head in the clinch, feels resistance from Valencia and uses the forward motion (of Valencia's face) to bring it directly into a horizontal elbow.








EckY -  It is true that the downward to the floor elbow is the only one that is supposed to be illegal, however I have seen refs warn/penalise fighters before for using the point of their elbow even when it is practically horizontal to the floor.

Sadly the refs/judges in MMA don't always know what they are watching nor how to interpret it