Downwards elbows don't work against Jiu Jitsu players.

[Ben Gash]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPW36NC3qCE
Or do they.........

[unkokusai]

Ok, that guy was essentially laying there in you-could-not-ask-for-better-position for a full ten seconds. If that makes the downward elbow a go-to take down defense then so does pretty much every other unlikely thing in the world.

[Egg fu young]

Anyone know were I can get those cool pants?










PM me

[sanjuro_ronin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPW36NC3qCE
Or do they.........

Of course they do, even more so when someone makes a crucial mistake like going for a take down when his opponent is on the ropes and has no where to go, they work great when someone decides to just lay there, exposing themselves and don't protect themselves.
Why can't I get anyone to do that ?

[Shaolin Wookie]

Downward elbows work....that's why they're illegal in one way or another in most pro circuits.

You've all seen MMA guys mash in a GNP with downward elbows and forearms. Sometimes it helps to stay close and avoid stretching out that arm by throwing the bow.

Where did this myth crop up?

[cjurakpt]

it actually looks like Aoki lost his balance on the shoot, got his knees jammed up on the mat and also married his face into JZ's right hand, while buying a short right knee as well; also, JZ didn't use the forearm / elbow initially, it was only after Aoki stopped moving (it looked like JZ was holding Aoki's left arm with his left and leaning into Aoki's left clavicular fossa w/his right knee as a counter stabilization, pretty much trapping him there), and by doing so JZ had rotated his stance to the left ~90˚before he threw any strikes (in order to have the proper biomechanical leverage for the forearm / elbow to work); even so, it didn't seem like he had all the much effect until the third forearm / elbow, which looked like it was more to the right side of Aoki's neck then the first two (which were much lower down onto the back, below the shoulder), an area that if you hit with anything is going to be painful and debilitating regardless of the technique, which would explain why Aoki basically crumbled into a heap right after that

so yeah, under highly optimal conditions, it worked; I'd still like to see it done on a well-executed shot -

[Ben Gash]

I love the way people are talking like Aoki's some kind of bum
It's true that Aoki left himself wide open for it by shooting poorly from too far away. However, you do see this often when a grappler with weak standup goes up against a confident striker. Sakuraba did similar when he fought Silva.

[David Jamieson]

well he's not a bum, But I just watched that whole thing and he seemed distracted. It was something like he was not really there in full spirit of combat.

It happens, people have bad days and lose fights like that.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i thought he was a bum until you guys said otherwise. ill take your word for it, but that certainly wasn't a great example of his ability. he got taken apart the entire fight.

[rogue]

well he's not a bum, But I just watched that whole thing and he seemed distracted. It was something like he was not really there in full spirit of combat.

It happens, people have bad days and lose fights like that.

Or a hot chick in the front row keeps lifting her shirt to show you her ta-ta's.