Matt Sayles’ Signature Jab to the Body
UFC Featherweight and striker extraordinaire Matt Sayles shares a technique that starts off with the jab to the body, which he used to great effect in his fight against Kyle Nelson.
Matt Sayles won his spot on the UFC and intends to stay there. With performances like his win over Kyle Nelson, Matt is looking to work his way up the Featherweight division. Hailing from San Diego, Matt has a background in striking that sets him up for success in the cage. He trains at Alliance MMA and Azteca Boxing Club with his coach Adrian Melendrez, who has seen Matt grow from a raw talent, to the hungry young fighter he is today.
Here, Matt and Adrian work through a combination that is simple, yet highly effective, beginning with the jab to the body. The jab to the body is a great starting point for strikers, as it sets up a lot of options.
The combination works by throwing the jab to the body, keeping the head off the center-line, so that you remain relatively safe. Matt likes to throw the jab to the body and follow it up immediately with a jab to the head. It sets up right hands and other strong body shots.
In this case, Matt sets up the low kick. first you need to throw the double jab combination a couple of times, before hitting the calf kick. This is great against taller fighters, particularly grapplers who want to take you down. A striker wants to stay standing, so this is a good way to keep the grappler at bay. As your opponent reacts to the punches, the kick often goes unnoticed. Also, it is so low that they can’t reach down and grab it, leaving you free to stay on your feet.
