5 Nastiest elbow attacks in MMA history
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) includes the usage of a vast array of striking and grappling-based martial arts manoeuvres. A wide variety of strikes including punches, kicks, knees and elbows are utilised by MMA fighters during stand-up as well as on the mat.
These four basic strikes have further sub-divisions. For instance, punches are sub-divided into jabs, straights, hooks and uppercuts with further sub-varieties and nuances. Push-kicks, roundhouse-kicks and many other sub-varieties of kicks, as well as a vast array of knee strikes, are utilised in MMA.
Furthermore, MMA fighters have had tremendous use for elbow-strikes, not only in recent times but since the early cage-fighting days of Royce Gracie and David ‘Tank’ Abbott. MMA involves the usage of a vast arsenal of elbow strikes on the feet as well as on the ground.
The elbow being an excellent weapon to cut, as well as knock an opponent out, has a special place in our beloved sport. A few such nasty elbow-attacks have made our list:
#5 Jon Jones’ elbows from guard
Jon ‘Bones’ Jones (22-1) is a former longtime UFC Light Heavyweight (LHW/205-pound) Champion and former Interim UFC LHW champion. He holds the distinction of being the youngest Champion in UFC history.
However, he has been embroiled in several controversies as of late, including testing positive for illegal-PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) before his July 9th LHW title-bout against Daniel Cormier. His MMA base is wrestling and he is well-known for his unorthodox striking techniques.
Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera (15-7-1) is a World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) Grand-Prix HW winner and the current ONE Championship HW champion. Vera’s MMA base is Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) and Muay Thai.
Jones faced Vera in March of 2010 at UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones, a fight in which Jones dominated Vera on the feet as well as in the exchanges on the mat. Jones used his wrestling to secure top position on Vera and landed 2 picture-perfect elbows from Vera’s full-guard.
The elbows made Vera’s eyes roll back after which Jones followed up with a few ground-and-pound punches that forced the referee to stop the fight and award Jones the technical knockout victory in the very first round. It was later revealed that Jones’ elbows broke Vera’s face in three places.
Now mind you Vera is no slouch on the ground, and considering that, knocking ‘The Truth’ out from his full-guard was a huge accomplishment for the-then 22 year old future UFC champion. Jones’ brutal ground-and-pound elbows have landed him in the fifth spot on our list.