IMG/GIF WONDERBOY'S TOP 10 SKILLS...Woodley & Co. Don't Forget

[KataKing]

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Well, my 1-Step Sparring Karate Thread got only 2 votes. Not surprising given the depth of understanding it takes to get what karate tradition is all about. No sweat... I'll put on my Bobin Rlack Hat, and talk right in line with the upcoming Woodley / Wonderboy match @ MSG, Nov. 12th.

There's been oodles written and podcast about Wonderboy, some good, some not so. A lot of it is anectodal, which is understandable. Here's, in MMA lingo, what a traditional karateka sees as big strengths of Wonderboy, his skill set. With a smattering of, UGH,! 1-Step Sparring Karate thrown in. I'll attempt to populate with gifs as I go along. Here goes!
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#1: He Moves Around A Lot
No. 1.

No. 2.

#2: He Can Strike with His Whole Body
No. 3.

No. 4.

#3. His Kicks Are "JABS"
No. 5.

No. 6.

#4. He Can Strike More Than Once.
No. 7.

#5. He Changes Stance
No. 7B.

#6. Wonderboy can "Pour-It-On"
No. 8.

#7. He Employs Footwork MMA-Kickboxers Are Jealous Of
No. 9.

No. 10.

#8. He is a Superb Athlete
No. 11.

#9. He is Very Agile
No. 12.

#10. He Strikes High & Low (&Middle)
No. 13.

#11. Trying to Mimic Wonderboy is a Losing Game....
No. 14.

#12. Boxer's Can Beat Wonderboy in the "Pocket," Or Can They?
No. 15.

View: https://fat.gfycat.com/IllFittingFrog.webm

#13. Hands Up Guard Doesn't Work.
No. 16.

#14. Give Him A Big Opening & You're Done.
No. 17.

#15. The Side-On Karate Stance Is A Problem FOR YOU.
No. 18.

#16. 1-Step Sparring a la Wonderboy... aka Low Kicks Won't Fly Any More.
No. 19.

WE'LL THAT'S IT FOR NOW... RAN OVER 10, KARATE BEING SO "INAPPLICABLE" / "OUTDATED" FOR MMA. OR IS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND...??? Woodley, Roufuses, got all this???

 

[KataKing]

JUST READ ANOTHER ARTICLE ABOUT THE "EVOLUTION" OF KARATE FOR MMA....

These buzzwords get started by literary observers & MMA-gym promoters. What do the latter know about karate tradition? Short Answer = Nothing.

I blew past 10 top strengths of Wonderboy's karate-kickboxing MMA style. Let's keep going.

#17. Hands Down Means "Ready" to Strike.
No. 20.

One of my threads, both TLDR for the audience, speaks extensively about the concept of traditional karate "chambering." There's loads of controversy about chambering, the usual kihon physical form, the process of placing the hands @ the waist. Leg strikes (or related leg-blocks) have chambering too.

I also mentioned the principle of "Ready." There is a corresponding ready stance, ready posture, ready position for the hands, ready head position & eye focus... bet you all didn't know about ... and majority-wise MMA don't care. More importantly, "Ready" in traditional karate means just that, "Ready" for ensuing action... a mental state & and corresponding change in psychological composure.

Depending on how one wants to describe the process... I'll identify 3 parts here.

(1) READY. Wonderboy has his hands "down," lifting the left to play hand-footsies with Hendricks. Hand footsies ain't in the traditional karate manual. It's silly sport stuff that's some kind of idiotic competitive gambit / nonsense.

(2) KARATE GUARD. Wonderboy transitions from hands "down," to a rough form of the karate guard. Left hand held extended torso high out in front of lead leg in a modified-side horse stance. Right hand pulled back toward right side of torso, in an applied guard & chamber position. Key word is transition, from a ready posture to an active guard / Right-hand chambered posture.

(3) RIGHT CROSS. Wonderboy performs a very sloppy version of the bread & butter karate reverse punch... really a sloppy boxing version of the right cross with significant arc. Much of the slop is caused by Wonderboy trying to react to Hendricks spot-on head movement in dodging the counter strike by Thompson.

A second reason Wonderboy's counter right misses... is his typical gambit of countering while continuing to move backward. He violates the 1-Step Sparring principle of proper spacing while honoring the 1-Step Sparring Principle of stepping where you need to be in order to defend then counter. Gotta get 'em both right, Wonderboy. Of course easier said than done... and Hendricks has KO'd competition right out of the fight with the sort of MMA-striking gambit we see here...

There's another very important karate change Thompson makes in this gif... hint... it's illustrated as a Wonderboy top 10 skill in the OP. Can you figure out which one it is? Karate tradition is principles, principles, principles....all working together in unison. And jep, it looks basic but the execution & effect is what..,? sophisticated.

End Moral. It's not karate evolving for MMA; it's MMA hasn't a clue what karate is really about... some 'evolution' in understanding needed there. Want proof? Here's the instructional version which "evolved" hundreds of years ago on Okinawa.

 

[KataKing]

WONDERBOY'S SKILL SET JUST GOES ON & ON...

#18. Wonderboy presses the attack.... not so defensive as Machida.
No. 21

I'll double up for #19. Wonderboy switches between kicks & punches.
I'll triple up for #20. Wonderboy's forward blitz has punches in bunches....


WOW,! I've doubled my original thoughts of a Wonderboy "top ten."

 

[KataKing]

NOW THAT WONDERBOY GOT HIS BUTT KICKED... EVEN WITH 20 TOP KARATE-KICKBOXING SKILLS

Here's a sample of Traditional Martial Art (not Jow Ga) Skills training that I've taken...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRqcnQI2e7Q

The forms I've done like this are more elemental, not so intense. She's superior-itly outstanding & a Cyborg Killer....

This stuff works... despite the Joe Rogan protestations... The traditional karate's boil this down so it's achievable by mere mortals...

This is what gives (me) the supreme edge over the Duke R.-MMA sport coaches, boxer, Muay Thai, the heavy bag crowd... yes, even heavily-muscled Tyron... enjoy & ponder....

EDIT: focus mitts,? yeah right....