In boxing you are taught to slip to the opposite side of your opponents incoming punch.
IE your orthodox(right handed) fighter throws a left jab at you, you are supposed to slip to your right. If he throws a right cross at you, you are supposed to slip to the left.
You can slip either way, but by doing it this way, you are more in position to counter.
However…
Bruce Leeroy threw a left cross, followed immediately by a left high kick.
His opponent slips to the correct side, however now his head was going towards the same side incoming high kick.
Leon Edwards throws (more of a feint) left cross, immediately followed by a left high kick.
Usman correctly slips to the right side, however now his head is going in the direction of the incoming same side high kick.
Charles Oliveira throws a right cross, followed immediately by a right high kick.
Beneil correctly slips to his left, however now his head is going the direction of the same side incoming high kick.
Do you see the pattern?
This technique is obviously very effective, but how do you avoid it?
Well, the answer is simple, but NOT EASY.
There is a window where the opponent throwing the two strike combo ending with a high kick, is vulnerable to a counter, and that’s between the punch and the kick.
However that window, is not a big one.
Even though they are all slipping to the correct side, they are slipping to the side, but not towards their opponent. By slipping to the side, they are avoiding the punch, however as this is mma and not boxing, their can be a dangerous kick coming as shown above, and by slipping to the side, you are not eliminating the danger/range of the incoming kick.
As we learned from Fedor vs Mirko, you want to be very far away, or right in his face when in danger of head kicks. By slipping to the side and forward, toward your opponent, this is the best counter as you avoid the punch, you are in range to counter, and you are not in range to be head kicked by your opponent(as you’re too close).
You can also slip the punch by moving your head back, but unless your opponent is over extending it is hard to counter, you can also avoid and see the incoming head kick easier.
In order to get the timing down takes so many hours to create the muscle memory range.
Not many fighters have the dexterity to throw high kicks so it’s hard to train for them, especially when they are being disguised right behind a same side punch prior.
