Has anyone seen a 'karate chop' use in MMA events

[Balo]

Seen alot of UFC and Pride videos, but can not remember ever seeing a knife hand (karate chop) or reverse knife hand used in any of these events. Why is this? It is because it is banned, or just not a preferred technique compared with a punch or elbow.

Alot of traditional styles use this technique alot and if used to the kneck, wind pipe or jaw can definately result in KO, So why don't we see it used?

Like to hear opinions on this technique and whether anyone has acually used it for real.

[chris davis 200]

I think that most MMAists do a combination of BJJ and MT or variations of these, this technique is absent from both.

There are many very very effective open hand techniques, lots, equally / more powerful than most punches, but due to the focus on succesful ring sports such as MT for the MMAists arsenal there is a gap here.

Ring sports such as MT tend to have boxing gloves so a knife hand or palm attack is nearly imposible.

I think this may be a reason. Not sure though.

I personally think that palm strikes and open hand methods are extremely effective and transfer to grabs very very well. so im sure that they would be very useful to the MMAist.

[Nutz]

My take on it is that the back of the hand is relatively brittle. If I'm going to strike in that fashion, I'd rather use a forearm to the neck than a knife-hand technique. But that's just me....

[chris davis 200]

Dont know how you do knife hand but you dont use the back of the hand Surely!!! You use the solid area of the hand opposite the base of the thumb, close to the wrist.

There is little chance of damage to this region.

the problem with using the fore arm is that there is far far less power going through the striking area. The striking area is larger, therefor the power of the strike is distributed over a larger area. Also the accelaration of the striking area is less.

[nogard1980]

As far as a back chop; true it is not as strong as the forearm, but for strikes at the throat I find that it slide between the chin and chest rather effectively. Not to mention it doesnt take a extremely powerfull strike to damage the asofigus (spelling?), just try taping on you own with alittle force ( sucks dont it? now imagine someone hiting at full force with a back chop.)

[Cain]

the bone that goes from the shoulder down to your chest (i don't know the name in english... ) can take about 7.5Kg's of pressure before it breaks (that is on the middle of the bone.. on an average joe)

[Rocknrope]

I remember Keith Hackney using something like a knifehand/ridgehand against Yarborough, which floored him. It ended up being more like a palmstrike to the side of his face, but it looked like he was going for a ridgehand to the temple...

[chris davis 200]

Collar bone - yeh a classic target.

very easy to break and extremely painful, imobilises the arm and inhibits breathing!!

Winner!

It suprises me that people dont use this target in competition more.

[ryanhall]

Knife hand is great, but I only like it to the throat. The collar bone is not a perferred target, but I could agree with Chris and see using it in competition.

[smith&wesson]

Not really a knife, more a frying pan. (always laugh my ass off when watching the early UFC fights).

[chris davis 200]

man that is one big dude!!

Seems like quite a good palm strike.

[Lizard]

Is the collar bone the one going from just below the throat to the top/front of the shoulder? like a long straight one?

Personaly I think knife hands to the throat are great but that is the only place I would use them.

[smith&wesson]

Just a question: There was once a fight with Muhammad Ali against a karate fighter. Has anyone information about this thing?
Would be much appreciated

[ryanhall]

I get this weird feeling that a karate fighter wouldn't stand up very well against one of the greatest boxers ever to step into the ring.

[Lizard]

Ryan was that an attack on karate? Don't make me make you ban yourself!