verc

iTrader: (12)

There's a lot going on in a fight that isn't obvious to an observer and only the corners and the fighters will see.

For example you might have a guy who always gets the first shot due to his good timing and sense of distancing. But then the other guy keeps countering, so eventually the first guy just gives up - he doesn't want to risk getting a hit by a counter but to the audience it just looks like he's not doing anything. The audience cries "Why aren't you attacking? The other guy's just spacing out. Hit him!"

No, he's not spacing out. He's sitting in range waiting for you to attack so he can counter.


The viewers never seem to notice these things. In the this fight, Machida went up against a striker just as skilled and fast as he was, who had put together a brilliant gameplan to nullify him. And he didn't know what to do. Did you notice that most of the time Machida lunged forward to punch or kick he was countered HARD? You can't tell watching through a tv screen how much it hurts, because a professional fighter is game and putting on the game face to not show pain until he can't take it anymore, but he feels it and it discourages him from trying the same thing again.



So I always chuckle when somebody remarks how leg kicks don't seem to have an effect - no, it hurts a crapload, the fighter is just trying to ignore the pain and not show he's hurt.

yayitzian

iTrader: (4)

i definitely know how much it hurts. my buddies and i spar occasionally and even with those foam helmets on. EVERYTHING hurts haha. i'm not particularly that fast and neither are some of my buddies, but they're faster than me. The worst was when I went to cover up and try to rush in, a kick came from out of nowhere and connected with the back of my head and i went to the ground.

i can only imagine the pace and power that the pros are going at it.