Striking
Punches, kicks, knees, elbows on the feet.
A round kick aimed at the liver, floating ribs, or solar plexus. The cumulative-damage striking weapon at championship pace.
The straight rear-hand punch — the primary power strike in boxing and the most-thrown power punch in MMA.
A round kick aimed at the temple, jaw, or neck. The highest-reward strike in MMA — and the most defended.
The horizontally arcing punch thrown from either hand. The lead hook is the most-used MMA finishing strike alongside the cross.
The lead-hand straight punch — the most important strike in MMA. Used for range, setup, defense, and pace control.
The low round kick to the thigh, calf, or hamstring. Cumulative damage that limits opponent mobility and compromises stance integrity over the course of a fight.
A push kick aimed at the opponent's knee or quad to disrupt their stance. Controversial for knee-injury risk; notably used by Jon Jones.
A looping power punch from the rear hand that travels over the opponent's lead shoulder. Effective against a high jab guard.
A linear front kick used to control distance, disrupt forward pressure, and set up follow-up strikes. The teep in Muay Thai.
A 270-degree spin where the rear elbow lands on the opponent's temple or jaw. A high-risk, high-reward finishing strike.
A jumping rear-hand strike where the rear leg kicks back to load extra distance and power. A signature setup for fighters with karate footwork.
A round kick thrown after a quick stance switch to load the rear-leg power into the new lead leg.
The rising punch thrown vertically up the centerline, typically from close range against an opponent whose chin is lowered.