I've got a bunch of karate-based threads here... I ramble on & on. Well, that's because traditional karate is built upon a slew, a hierarchy of martial principles. I will, admit, all that is hard to get over the internet. There's always something called a traditional martial arts school... don't expect the school to do all the work... carry you along unthinkingly. That's my 1st & final warning on TMA study.
Browsing through the YT highlights... UFC 205 Woodley's performance is a stark & stern warning on how not to use, think you're applying karate against MMA. I'll try to lay out the summary karate errors Wonderboy made in semi-concise, readable prose. Here goes...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSOJzGh9tRU
First, though, I have to laugh about some comments writing that the video was biased (against Wonderboy). Well, the fight performance was "biased" against Wonderboy by Wonderboy (not the scorecard which was biased for Wonderboy). Ha on that commentary.
What went Karate-Wrong. By the time stamps...
1. Time = 0:07. Pre-fight Hip-hop. We karateka don't get ready by bouncing on toes, doing little hops. Karate is not a game. Professional fight either....
2. Time = 0:07. Off balance, Out-of-posture, Non-committal Low Leg Kick. Had zero physical impact on Woodley... lazy, low strength nature of kick played right into Woodley catch-countering the kick... now he has you at a severe disadvantage....which led to TD... then big, strong wrestler dishing out GNP to kick off the fight...
Where in karate training does it say to randomly throw a lean-away, low-strength leg kick kinda, so as to see what happens? Multiple principles of karate broken.
I like later, the post-fight when Wonderboy says he thought he did enough to win the fight. Karate-wise... it's did enough to lose the fight... take the low kick-fiasco right there.
3. Time = 0:52. Wonderboy's Face after 1 Round. "I though I did enough to win the fight." REALLY? Sorry, it's not bias by karate... you failed to defend yourself plain & simple.
4. Time = 0:54-0:55. Wonderboy on outside, hyper-extends in with Missing Jab while moving away throws a High Side Kick right @ Woodley's Chin. Beautiful technique which did nothing. Again, this is Open Workout caliber.... hitting at foam targets which Dad has staged. And Stephen Thompson is damn good @ it. Looks like he just clips or narrowly misses Woodley's chin.
Because he's moving away... and maintaining a barrier of 'distance,' it's great for striking defense. Problem is, this tactic necessarily dilutes power & erodes accuracy. Hence, the nil effect. While you can win rounds on points this way... you only postpone the danger. With Woodley as your opponent... that's grave danger.
In addition, the emphasis on keeping distance replaces the traditional focus on proper spacing to land the strike firmly as intended. Mental discipline is weakened by the strain to perform, force the body to work when it's out of position.
Interim Conclusion: Beautiful Open Workout = / = Karate success vs. Woodley.
5. Time = 1:01. Wonderboy Springing Double Punch with Woodley against Cage. Again, nice technique. Problem is two-fold. (1) Not full body power... too kickbox-y arm & shoulder with some forward body momentum. Effect on Woodley muted... he's largely OK. (2) Now Wonderboy is standing upright directly in front of Mr. Explosive Wrestler. Guess what happens next?
Woodley ducks head / level change & charges into grasp Wonderboy's torso, then wings his patented power strike counter (Here, a lunging left hook). Kind of a mirror of his power-counter right. Moves-Alot-Wonderboy backs & angles out of harms way. This time.
Wonderboy has to move excessively to escape... Karate uses strong & efficient movement combined with technique.. starting with stepping in or out with strong stance. Woodley puts Wonderboy heavily on the defensive throughout the fight because of this kind of Wonder-Traveling behavior.
6. Time = 1:07. Wonderboy Spinning Back Hook Kick-Swish! more to come....Wonderboy throws spinning back hook kick... which glances off Woodley.
Why I panWonderboy / Dad's Kickboxing...a,b,c,d...
(a) Isolated Technique. Performing a single, basic technique against a watchful opponent, is a low probability tactic. Woodley is un-distracted and therefore, easily defends.
(b) High Risk Technique (very)? Performing the above in the form of a kick, and even worse a high kick, and even worse a spinning, high kick... is low probability AND dangerous. Takes the most time and committed effort of all kicks types... leaving you blind & exposed... momentarily. Again, OW-glamour glitz.
(c) WB Dad-Coach, Where's Woodley? This is totally brushing off, ignoring Duke Roufuses expertise @ full contact kickboxing... how stupid, especially on DAD's coaching end. I've search for a better evaluative comment, but utterly stupid fits Wonderboy's coaching to a "T" on this. And Stephen also. Woodley pivots out VERY nicely for excellent defense.
People can dis' Woodley re that adding to UFC coffers... only AN IDIOT WHO'S ACTUALLY IN MMA COMPETITION, WOULD DIS' WOODLEY....
(d) High Risk Realized / Low Return. On 3. above, Wonderboy has 1st hand evidence in his OWN training camp on how dumb (b) tactically is... you [you] fill in blank. Not only that... Wonderboy circles out widely as per usual... Woodley's beat him to it... nowhere to be found...HA HA. Wonderboy, what's up next????
That's four (4) karate principle violations on 1, single exchange... oh my...
Back to 'short' 2 1/2 min. highlight vid:
7. TIME = 1:13. REactive-Jab. Wonderboy, Woodley with Duke has been practicing his head movement. Famous reactive- counter jab by you misses boat... ship has sailed....
Futhermore on 5., your no-power, off balance, tippy-toe stance leaves you cold.... We see this strength-robbing tippy-toe in your OW... not karate.... Had you connected, effect would have been minimal, not competent for full contact.... be back soon....
8. TIME = 1:16. Right counter hook to Woodley's body. Again, leaning off-balance, LEADING WITH FACE... all arm strength in useless, 'light-touch' right hook. What I AVOID play sparring @ my dojo. Landing psuedo-strikes kills karate.... Nothing accomplished (other than entertainment).
9. TIME = 1:20. Throwing OW Left-Right Combo. Woodley covers > unaffected. Woodley ducks under and what,? he's right in on you AGAIN! How many times can you get away 'til strongman Woodley locks you up? This medium light-contact works against Hendricks... this ain't Hendricks....
10. TIME = 1:21-1:24. Endless Circling... Woodley's there 'til 25 minutes are up. "Distancing Mastery" now a liability....
11. TIME = 1:25. Clever Circle Back to Strike Unclever... Weaving right in front of opponent present a great target for opponent to counter... he can see your simple shifting direction (which you predictably repeat). Woodley actually counters you with proper reverse punch form... perfectly... while you're throwing another punch.... a sloppy, outside, right cross with again too much arm & shoulder strength only.
This is why karate traditional reverse punch comes up from the against the side of the hip. This is why linear punches are used... maximum efficiency + accuracy + whole body strength... plus something else you left totally out of the karate textbook, in principle, because you wail heavy bags & sparring partners with kickboxing shots... all a gift to Tyron.
12. TIME = 2:29. Machado Purple Belt Arena Not So Great. Now, you're on the ground... wide open to GNP from Tyron, The Chosen-Beast. Wonderboy's ground game pretty good... problem is Tyron-Strong. Pounding, then stops... Tyron had mercy going for the sub. But you won on rounds...REALLY?
MORAL: Please do not equate kickboxing with karate tradition. Good, strong boxers aren't fools letting you off the hook in a Championship match.
Browsing through the YT highlights... UFC 205 Woodley's performance is a stark & stern warning on how not to use, think you're applying karate against MMA. I'll try to lay out the summary karate errors Wonderboy made in semi-concise, readable prose. Here goes...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSOJzGh9tRU
First, though, I have to laugh about some comments writing that the video was biased (against Wonderboy). Well, the fight performance was "biased" against Wonderboy by Wonderboy (not the scorecard which was biased for Wonderboy). Ha on that commentary.
What went Karate-Wrong. By the time stamps...
1. Time = 0:07. Pre-fight Hip-hop. We karateka don't get ready by bouncing on toes, doing little hops. Karate is not a game. Professional fight either....
2. Time = 0:07. Off balance, Out-of-posture, Non-committal Low Leg Kick. Had zero physical impact on Woodley... lazy, low strength nature of kick played right into Woodley catch-countering the kick... now he has you at a severe disadvantage....which led to TD... then big, strong wrestler dishing out GNP to kick off the fight...
Where in karate training does it say to randomly throw a lean-away, low-strength leg kick kinda, so as to see what happens? Multiple principles of karate broken.
I like later, the post-fight when Wonderboy says he thought he did enough to win the fight. Karate-wise... it's did enough to lose the fight... take the low kick-fiasco right there.
3. Time = 0:52. Wonderboy's Face after 1 Round. "I though I did enough to win the fight." REALLY? Sorry, it's not bias by karate... you failed to defend yourself plain & simple.
4. Time = 0:54-0:55. Wonderboy on outside, hyper-extends in with Missing Jab while moving away throws a High Side Kick right @ Woodley's Chin. Beautiful technique which did nothing. Again, this is Open Workout caliber.... hitting at foam targets which Dad has staged. And Stephen Thompson is damn good @ it. Looks like he just clips or narrowly misses Woodley's chin.
Because he's moving away... and maintaining a barrier of 'distance,' it's great for striking defense. Problem is, this tactic necessarily dilutes power & erodes accuracy. Hence, the nil effect. While you can win rounds on points this way... you only postpone the danger. With Woodley as your opponent... that's grave danger.
In addition, the emphasis on keeping distance replaces the traditional focus on proper spacing to land the strike firmly as intended. Mental discipline is weakened by the strain to perform, force the body to work when it's out of position.
Interim Conclusion: Beautiful Open Workout = / = Karate success vs. Woodley.
5. Time = 1:01. Wonderboy Springing Double Punch with Woodley against Cage. Again, nice technique. Problem is two-fold. (1) Not full body power... too kickbox-y arm & shoulder with some forward body momentum. Effect on Woodley muted... he's largely OK. (2) Now Wonderboy is standing upright directly in front of Mr. Explosive Wrestler. Guess what happens next?
Woodley ducks head / level change & charges into grasp Wonderboy's torso, then wings his patented power strike counter (Here, a lunging left hook). Kind of a mirror of his power-counter right. Moves-Alot-Wonderboy backs & angles out of harms way. This time.
Wonderboy has to move excessively to escape... Karate uses strong & efficient movement combined with technique.. starting with stepping in or out with strong stance. Woodley puts Wonderboy heavily on the defensive throughout the fight because of this kind of Wonder-Traveling behavior.
6. Time = 1:07. Wonderboy Spinning Back Hook Kick-Swish! more to come....Wonderboy throws spinning back hook kick... which glances off Woodley.
Why I panWonderboy / Dad's Kickboxing...a,b,c,d...
(a) Isolated Technique. Performing a single, basic technique against a watchful opponent, is a low probability tactic. Woodley is un-distracted and therefore, easily defends.
(b) High Risk Technique (very)? Performing the above in the form of a kick, and even worse a high kick, and even worse a spinning, high kick... is low probability AND dangerous. Takes the most time and committed effort of all kicks types... leaving you blind & exposed... momentarily. Again, OW-glamour glitz.
(c) WB Dad-Coach, Where's Woodley? This is totally brushing off, ignoring Duke Roufuses expertise @ full contact kickboxing... how stupid, especially on DAD's coaching end. I've search for a better evaluative comment, but utterly stupid fits Wonderboy's coaching to a "T" on this. And Stephen also. Woodley pivots out VERY nicely for excellent defense.
People can dis' Woodley re that adding to UFC coffers... only AN IDIOT WHO'S ACTUALLY IN MMA COMPETITION, WOULD DIS' WOODLEY....
(d) High Risk Realized / Low Return. On 3. above, Wonderboy has 1st hand evidence in his OWN training camp on how dumb (b) tactically is... you [you] fill in blank. Not only that... Wonderboy circles out widely as per usual... Woodley's beat him to it... nowhere to be found...HA HA. Wonderboy, what's up next????
That's four (4) karate principle violations on 1, single exchange... oh my...
Back to 'short' 2 1/2 min. highlight vid:
7. TIME = 1:13. REactive-Jab. Wonderboy, Woodley with Duke has been practicing his head movement. Famous reactive- counter jab by you misses boat... ship has sailed....
Futhermore on 5., your no-power, off balance, tippy-toe stance leaves you cold.... We see this strength-robbing tippy-toe in your OW... not karate.... Had you connected, effect would have been minimal, not competent for full contact.... be back soon....
8. TIME = 1:16. Right counter hook to Woodley's body. Again, leaning off-balance, LEADING WITH FACE... all arm strength in useless, 'light-touch' right hook. What I AVOID play sparring @ my dojo. Landing psuedo-strikes kills karate.... Nothing accomplished (other than entertainment).
9. TIME = 1:20. Throwing OW Left-Right Combo. Woodley covers > unaffected. Woodley ducks under and what,? he's right in on you AGAIN! How many times can you get away 'til strongman Woodley locks you up? This medium light-contact works against Hendricks... this ain't Hendricks....
10. TIME = 1:21-1:24. Endless Circling... Woodley's there 'til 25 minutes are up. "Distancing Mastery" now a liability....
11. TIME = 1:25. Clever Circle Back to Strike Unclever... Weaving right in front of opponent present a great target for opponent to counter... he can see your simple shifting direction (which you predictably repeat). Woodley actually counters you with proper reverse punch form... perfectly... while you're throwing another punch.... a sloppy, outside, right cross with again too much arm & shoulder strength only.
This is why karate traditional reverse punch comes up from the against the side of the hip. This is why linear punches are used... maximum efficiency + accuracy + whole body strength... plus something else you left totally out of the karate textbook, in principle, because you wail heavy bags & sparring partners with kickboxing shots... all a gift to Tyron.
12. TIME = 2:29. Machado Purple Belt Arena Not So Great. Now, you're on the ground... wide open to GNP from Tyron, The Chosen-Beast. Wonderboy's ground game pretty good... problem is Tyron-Strong. Pounding, then stops... Tyron had mercy going for the sub. But you won on rounds...REALLY?
MORAL: Please do not equate kickboxing with karate tradition. Good, strong boxers aren't fools letting you off the hook in a Championship match.
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