TKD has been watered down alot. Not to say there are some TKD black belts that can kick extremely fast and hard, but most TKD is watered down and it shows when sparring other combat styles.
However BB that started out in TKD and trained in muay thai or boxing usually make good allround fighters. Peter Aerts started in TKD and moved into muay thai. Kathy Long started in either Tang Soo Do or TKD and moved into muay thai.
I've trained with a fair amount of TKD practicioners who cross train in muay thai. The better ones use their side kick really well (like a boxer uses his jab) and can fire hard, fast kick combos.
They fake a front snap kick and turn it into a round kick/spinning hook kick.
Fake a high hook kick and throw a side kick to the body and another hook kick to the head.
The smartest TKD fighters check legs all the time, sort of a block or jamming technique. They keep distance with good footwork, timing and a rapid fire side kick aimed at the ribs or hips. Try to go straight in with punches and they will throw that sidekick (which will compund damage cause you run into it). They will fight tooth and nail to keep you in kicking range. I don't think many guys on this forum have had the opportunity to spar with a good TKD fighter, but its no walk in the park if the guy is really good.
When the average TKD stylists fight other stand up fighters, they dont keep their chin tucked or hands high enough, don't know how to handle the clinch and don't know how to handle kicks to the leg. Unless they've cross trained in boxing, they don't have sharp hands. Since most people see the average TKD fighter, they are not impressed.
TKD guys are suprised at the power of the muay thai round kick. Their natural reaction is to fire a turning kick or spin kick into the thaiboxer when they see it coming. They underestimate the power of the thai round kick and eat it while rechambering their turning or spin kick, which either knocks them down or rocks them. The muay thai round kick has the kickers entire weight and leverage, generated by follow through with the hips.
I'm probably one of the few on this board that doesn't trash TKD, because I've seen guys out there that can probably clean a head off a body with their kicks. The real issue is that TKD has become watered down and so most TKD fighters don't fight well.
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