Analyzing Anderson Silva: Countering Okami

Hey guys,

This is a piece I did a couple of days ago for BloodyElbow, been resting a bit and writing my new book in the meantime so I forgot to put it up here! Please go check it out; it's my first UFC piece using storyboards and I think this format is going to be the future - no legal hold ups and real pin point analysis.

Will have some information for you on my new book soon!
Cheers,
Jack




Anderson Silva is legitimately argued to be the greatest MMA fighter to date. This is, of course, subjective due to level of competition and questionable performances such as his refusing to engage Demian Maia. He is, however, hard to dispute as the most elite striker working at the top levels of MMA today. Something that people tend to forget, especially those who lack a pedigree in striking martial arts, is that unlike UFC Undisputed - striking is not simply a fixed attribute in the real world. Every exchange must be thought out, and no man can sit back and coast - no matter how much he tries to make it look that way. Anderson Silva then is anything but infallible - and he certainly makes mistakes - but to the educated fan, this makes his technical clinics even more impressive.

Anderson Silva, like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, is one of the few professional fighters in ANY discipline who has the mental discipline and physical endurance to mind his Ps and Qs 90% of the time. When Anderson enters with a flurry, it is rarely without a jab, hand trap or feint preceding it - eliminating the opponent's direct counters for an instant. When he is done with his attack, he almost always dips, slips or sidesteps on his exit - rather than simply standing up and stepping back. His rigorous conformity to what I (for lack of an official term) teach as The Pattern of Offense (Pre-Entry, Entry, Strike, Exit) has made him one of the least hit MMA fighters of all time, while simultaneously one of the most prolific knockout artists in UFC history.

Knowing how to do this is one thing - many fighters do not - but even those who do, get sloppy from time to time. This week I've been examining Fedor Emelianenko, whose technical trickery borderlines genius, but whose discipline in the pocket has been known to waver when he smells blood. Anderson's discipline and the demands he places on himself throughout the fight almost make it seem as though the thought of losing to his opponent is less offensive to him than the thought of striking incorrectly.

There is so much to be said about the striking and overall game of Anderson Silva, and believe me, I will try in vain to say it all over the coming months and years. Today, however, we will focus on my favourite two facets of his most recent performance against Yushin Okami. These will be:

The Counter Jab
Hand fighting to a High Kick



Continues at: Analyzing Anderson Silva: Countering Okami - Bloody Elbow