The Art and Success of the Short Jab in MMA

Anderson Silva and Brian Bowles are very different fighters. Yet their wins at UFC 101 and WEC 42, respectively, are very similar.

How so is this possible?

The technique becoming more popular in MMA, and so powerful, is known simply as the short jab.

The punch that both Silva and Bowles used to knockout their tough opponents was an accurate jab that, when placed correctly, can render the opposition defenseless.

Silva is a master of this punch, using it multiple times alone in his fight with Griffin and dropping him once before the official onslaught began.

Bowles, on the other hand (no pun intended), used the punch as defense against a rushing, wild Miguel Angel Torres.

Both punches seemed very effective, especially when used against fighters like Torres and Griffin who both threw very erratic, inaccurate jabs and crosses.

It appears no matter what weight class you fight at, the punch is both a good defensive and offensive move.

An important aspect to remember is the accuracy of the punch. Fans might notice that Silva's punch landed directly on the temple region of Griffin, dropping him very quickly and ending the fight instantly.

Bowles' punch at least appeared to land in the same region, possibly a little lower on the cheek area.

Regardless of the exact area of the punch's completion, both punches finished their respective fights and gave one man a bright future and the other a feeling of restoration to his legacy.

Just imagine how good Bruce Lee must have been with his one-inch punch.