Countering the Taller Fighter
You give up the reach. Tap the strike they lead with, open your counter, and read how they adjust and how you answer.
The game plan — 3 things the short fighter lives by
Their strikes reach you first, so the whole game is getting past the end of their weapons and making a home in the pocket.
Neutralise the range weapon
Catch, parry or kick whatever they use to keep you out — jab, teep, long knee. Kill the tool before you step in.
Enter on an angle
Step off the centreline as you close the gap, so you don’t walk straight onto the next shot they throw.
Make them uncomfortable inside
Once you’re chest-to-chest, stay busy — hands, clinch, knees. Tall fighters hate a crowded pocket.
They strikeThey lead with the jab
A taller fighter’s jab is their range-keeper. Nullify it and close the gap.
Pick your counter
Your counterCatch-and-crossParry, then blast inside
Catch the jab on your rear glove and immediately fire your cross down the same line while stepping in.
They pull the jab back and re-jab
They snap the jab back and throw another to reset distance.
Catch again, step off-line
Parry the second jab and take a diagonal step to your lead side. Their reach advantage is gone — enter on an angle.
Inside their reach
Gap closed. Work the body, dig hooks, or tie up for knees before they reset distance.
Your counterSlip outside and counterBeat it with head movement
Slip your head outside the jab, then answer with a rear cross or lead hook to the body as you step in.
They follow with the rear cross
Reading your slip, they throw the straight rear hand behind the jab.
Roll under, hook the body
Roll under the cross with hands high and come up with a lead hook to the ribs. Now chest-to-chest.
Inside their reach
Gap closed. Stay tight, head off the centreline, pile on body shots or clinch up.
Your counterLead teep to interrupt itYour leg outreaches their arm
As they load the jab, spear a lead-leg teep into their hip or belly. Your leg outreaches their arm.
They catch or sweep your teep
They trap your foot against their body, hoping to dump you while you’re on one leg.
Rip free, low kick
Rip your foot down and out while hopping your base leg in, then turn over a low kick to their planted leg.
They’re off balance
The teep stalled their advance. Chase the opening — step in behind it before they recover.
They strikeThey push you with the teep
The teep is a long stiff-arm to keep you at range. Neutralise it and get past the foot.
Pick your counter
Your counterCatch the teep and counterTrap the leg, punish the balance
Scoop the teep with your lead forearm against your body. They’re on one leg — sweep the base or dump them back.
They hop back and stay balanced
They ride the catch, hopping backward to recover posture and distance.
Walk them down, low kick
March forward holding their leg so they can’t plant, then release and chop a low kick to the base leg.
Past the foot, inside
You beat the range weapon and closed in. Stay on top — hands, clinch, knees.
Your counterParry / sweep it asideClear the leg, step in diagonally
Sweep the teep across your body with a downward slap of the rear hand and step in diagonally on the cleared side.
They pull the leg back and re-teep
They snap the leg back and fire a second teep to re-establish the fence.
Angle off, rush behind it
Parry the re-teep and cut a hard angle to their open side, rushing in where the kick can’t reload.
In the pocket
Inside the teep’s range. Go to work — the tall fighter hates a busy opponent in their chest.
They strikeThey knee you in close
From the clinch their straight knees are dangerous. Control the tie-up and take away the knee.
Pick your counter
Your counterFight for double inside controlNo space = no straight knee
Swim both arms inside for double underhooks and pull their hips tight to yours. No space means no straight knee.
They pummel to regain inside position
They swim their arms back inside, fighting for the underhooks and the plum.
Win the pummel, turn them
Keep pummelling to stay inside, drop your level, and turn their hips to break their base — then knee first.
You own the clinch
Inside control, hips pinned, their knees dead. Knee the body, off-balance for a trip, or break on your terms.
Your counterFrame on the hipsDistance kills the knee’s power
Drop your forearms as frames on their hips to create a post. Distance kills the knee’s power.
They pull your head down for the plum
They snake both hands behind your head into the double collar tie, pulling you onto their knees.
Peel the plum, dive inside
Posture up, peel one collar-tie hand off, press your forehead into their chest, and swim that arm inside to an underhook.
Their posture broken
Base disrupted, they can’t knee. Advance to inside control, land a knee, or shove off and reset.