MMA Fouls

[straightblast]

Do groin shots and eye poking work?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3-RfOTlaQw

If we use the MMA as the testing ground, it's pretty effective.

[sensei8]

Sure they do...and all day and night long!! And as the video supports, it doesn't take quite a lot of power in those areas to cause enough discomfort to close the gap or get away.

Thanks for sharing the video.

[maisweh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll7M289-Tlk

well, throwing ki balls don't work...

[Kuma]

Like anything else, they can be very effective or not very effective, depending on the circumstances and people involved.

A dirty trick in boxing that can be common is the act of "thumbing", or throwing your left jab with the thumb extended aiming for their eyes in the hopes to blur their vision and set them up for a knockout punch. Many boxers have gotten detached retinas from this technique yet still continued fighting in the ring and in many cases still beat their opponent. I've had it happen to me too on occasion (some accidental, some possibly intentional) and though not fun, it's not quite the fight ender people make it out to be.

Same goes for the groin shot. Most males instinctively protect their groin, thus you may not always get a clean shot in. Even in some arts which actually do allow groin shots in sparring and competition (e.g. Kudo) they are still not always the fight ender you may think. Hit them if you can, but don't rely it on a "one shot one kill" approach.

[cheesefrysamurai]

Thank you Sensei Straightblast for making me a master of the art of cringing

Do groin shots and eye poking work?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3-RfOTlaQw

If we use the MMA as the testing ground, it's pretty effective.

[ps1]

Sure...there's a reason they're not allowed in MMA. Because they are dangerous. I'm not sure the effectiveness of a good groin kick or eye gouge has ever been called into question.

[lowereastside]

ps1 says " Sure...there's a reason they're not allowed in MMA. "

Well Said. Let me add this - if any of you have ever been hit in the eye or groin like I have - and I'm sure many of you have - it will answer your question. And it also depends on the tolerance of certain individuals - many individuals who practice karate ( goju - ....) can take shots to the groin - with little or no effect. A poke to the eyes is another story.

[JusticeZero]

Many people who *don't* practice karate can take shots to the groin with little or no effect. At least, not until after it is no longer relevant to the situation. I've gotten clobbered there with a hard kick. I didn't even notice until a minute after i'd sat down. Then I had to drag myself to the bathroom and be sick, mind you. But in a self defense situation i'd have gotten away with whatever I needed to do to you by then and run.

People like to think they're this magic move that defeats MMA training. They aren't; you still have to deliver the attack, just like any other body or head shot, and you can still be dismantled when you try. There's no magical component about one head strike that exempts it from the usual concerns of defense and counter just because it's aimed at a sensory center.

[lowereastside]

JusticeZero says - " Many people who *don't* practice karate can take shots to the groin with little or no effect "

Agreed - Karate was just an example.

And Your Right on Point there is no magic move - Well said.

[bushido_man96]

Can they work? Sure. Guns can do a lot of damage, too. But one can survive a gunshot. As mentioned above, they aren't as dependable as one might think. Nor should they be ignored as targets of opportunity.

I think it is also important to point out that these MMA fighters are aware of the fact that if they take a groin shot, they can have the match stopped, and it is to their advantage to do so. Same way with eye gouges. If they knew they could not stop the match for a groin shot, then they would figure out other ways to deal with it. So showing a reel of MMA guys getting these shots isn't necessarily a proving ground for the strikes effectiveness.

Wasn't there a Sambo fighter of yore in one of the first UFC's that won a title by beating Tank Abbott, with his eyes pretty much closed because of attacks to them?