Mustapha Al-Turk Shows Us How NOT To Punch At UFC 99

by Kelvin Hunt on Jun 16, 2009 9:15 AM EDT in News Comment 9 comments

Of course you see the eye poke, but that's not what this piece is about. It's about the punch you see Al-Turk winding up to throw, only for Mirko to see coming a mile away...duck and counter with a straight left. Now I know that Al-Turk is primarily a grappler, but it looked like he was throwing a Steven Seagal ridge-hand instead of a punch. I just don't understand why fighters feel like they need to wind up like that, especially when you are a heavyweight. You lose power by winding up like that, lose your center of gravity, and leave yourself wide open for a counter or take down. Also, did't we learn in grade school that the quickest way from point A to point B is a straight line? So why do a ton of MMA fighters do exactly what Al-Turk did in the clip?

0 recs | Comment 9 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Very sloppy, indeed. As the sport continues to evolve I think we’ll see less of this, but it still goes on.

by SlickRick00 on Jun 16, 2009 9:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I guess he is trying to do an overhand right.

The goal is for Cro Cop not to see the punch coming (supposedly distracting him with the silly push jab he is doing). I guess Al Turk is setting him up. The concept is rudimentary, but the implementation is bush league. If this is what he was going to bring then he was gonna get hurt. He lucked out on the eye poke.

by Sonic Boom on Jun 16, 2009 1:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh

I understand the concept….I was just putting out the flaw in his technique…the thing is a lot of ‘high level’ fighters throwing their punches like this…I dunno..

See I come from a baseball background where I played at a pretty high level…and believe it or not a baseball swing and throwing a punch are really similar in terms of balance and no wasted motion.

If you watch the .gif from the very beginning…Al-Turk should have gone with the right hand from right where it was…there’s no need to cock back like he did…

It’s hard for me to understand why many fighters of today still haven’t evolved their striking more than they have.

http://www.mmaforreal.com

by Kelvin Hunt on Jun 16, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha it looks like he’s trying to clohtesline him wrasslin’-style.

Bloody hell.

by 3PA on Jun 16, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

man did you see that poke?

he was gonna connect if it wasn’t for that poke. yall ever been poke in the eye before? you shit your pants and lose all sense. good luck in dream mirko the “eye poker” cro cop

by valtheguy on Jun 16, 2009 3:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nah

He wasn’t going to connect with that one dawg…lol…Mirko was ducking well before he even finished loading the punch…

http://www.mmaforreal.com

by Kelvin Hunt on Jun 16, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hermes Franca

Hermes Franca is the only fighter I’ve seen that throws punches that seemingly come from the ground effectively. These punches make Liddell look like a disciplined boxer.

by MMAMoneyLine on Jun 16, 2009 4:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

“You lose power by winding up like that, lose your center of gravity, and leave yourself wide open for a counter or take down.”

Obviously winding up like this is slower, so it does telegraph like you say. However I disagree that you lose power by doing this. Try punching a punch bag using a shot like this or just a short one which doesn’t involve the shoulder very much. You should find the Al turk shot is more powerful.

My own experience is that when you wind up like this you are adding power from the shoulder to the power generated from the arm and hips. After a few rounds punching like this I feel like I am really working my shoulder.

Since my own experience is related to myself and I am such a great and intelligent being I expect you all to rely on my experience as a beacon and guru in your own
training.

Alternatively you can rely on this gif which shows Tyson Ko’ing Tillman with exactly the same punch that everyone else on this page deride:

by Iron_nads on Jun 24, 2009 1:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

First of all

Thanks for joining the site man!

Well…in the Tyson .gif he gets his entire body going forward as he begins to throw the haymaker and his trunk/waist rotation is alot better than Al Turk’s…so it should be a powerful shot…whereas Al Turk’s punch seems as if it’s all arm with him winding up like that. You’ll also notice that Tyson’s arm stays tighter to his body opposed to Al-Turk…that’s really the part I was hitting on…the tighter you keep the punch to your body…the more you can get your shoulder/hips into it IMO….

http://www.mmaforreal.com

by Kelvin Hunt on Jun 24, 2009 7:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MMA For Real: An SB Nation Community

Network Bar

MMA For Real -

The Official Site For North Carolina MMA