UFC 320: What is Pressure?
Alex Pereira, Jiri Prochazka, Cory Sandhagen, & Merab Dvalishvili
Contents
Samurai Spiritual Pressure: Jiri Prochazka
More Than Just Volume: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
The Pressure of a Champion: Alex Pereira
Dust or diamond, which will you be?
The answer to that question lies in how you will deal with pressure. Just that word itself casts a wide net in martial arts. Pressure can mean anything from simply moving forward with strikes, all the way to the mere idea of something influencing your opponent’s actions. Success in any art hinges upon your ability to deal with pressure.
UFC 320 was quite the event, but it was the 3 fights at top billing that were the most exciting. Every fight in this lineup was defined by the unique way fighters used the concept of pressure to their advantage, or let it overrun them.
Lets find the answer to the central question: what is pressure, and how can it be used?
Samurai Spiritual Pressure: Jiri Prochazka
'. . . the way of the warrior is a resolute acceptance of death'
-Miyamoto MusashiJiri Prochazka is a marvel of modern MMA. This is no better described than in
’s Twitter Post on the subject, and he should be recognized for his devout resolution to martial arts as both a physical and spiritual craft. An esoteric who values what combat represents, the beauty of two souls dancing in blood. It produces a connection to God for these men, and to a lesser extent the viewer. Prochazka’s commitment to Bushido produces a spiritual pressure that is exuded in every fight. If you’d like to see it at its best, watch each stare down with Alex Pereira. He fights as if unafraid of of consequences, for he is not.Prochazka’s approach to training is a gem in the sterilized landscape of modern mixed martial arts. Despite some technical shortcomings, he continues to win.
How?
By pushing through any and all threats the opponent may offer. He has solidified himself as an all time action fighter of the modern era, but he is underrated as a comeback artist. The spiritual strength he has honed is no doubt a reason for this. The man was losing significant portions of his fights against Rountree, Rakić, Teixeira, and Reyes, and came through a finish regardless. He is often punished for his forward bursts, heavy lead leg, and overcommitments, but this strange style ultimately produces some of the most potent and interesting offense in the light heavyweight division.
His success hinges on his ability to pressure opponent’s with unexpected volume; an array of strikes to different targets, often in uncommon positions or from uncommon angles. Before the avalanche gets going however, he needs to wade through hell.
Khalil Rountree Jr. is another violent addition to the top end of light heavyweight. He is more ‘traditionally’ violent; explosive, technically crisp on offense, and faster than just about every man in the division. You can read more about his game here. Prochazka has only lost in the UFC against another hard hitting offensive technician, and Rountree showed why early.
Rountree immediately took advantage of Prochazka’s biggest liability: a heavy lead leg. Prochazka’s wide stance and bouncing leaves most of his weight committed to his lead leg and a prime target for leg kicks. This is slightly less a consideration in the open stance, as a step up lead leg kick requires a tad more tell, but Rountree’s quickness more than makes up for that (V1). Despite the effectiveness, the technique did not make another significant appearance. Rather, it was Khalil’s counter-punching game that proved his greatest asset.
V1
Disclaimer: The video clips included in this article are not owned by the author. They are included for educational purposes only to illustrate key moments in the fighter’s career and demonstrate aspects of mixed martial arts techniques and strategies. All rights to the video content belong to their respective owners.
Prochazka is a man fully committed to offense and forward movement. He overwhelms opponents with his attacks, but his enthusiasm often leaves him vulnerable against strong counter strikers. He enforces pressure by being strong, unexpected, and undeterred. A good counter often won’t ward him off, but a powerful one will (V2). Rountree is not a pressure fighter, but a man of counters and bursts. He often concedes the back foot, but waits for an opponent’s mistake or overcommitment to blast in with powerful strikes (V3). Prochazka’s approach is ripe with these, and he squeezed his own game for every ounce it is worth. Look at the difference in step up low kicks in V1 vs. V3. Sharp, strong, and precise vs. long and meandering. Rountree perfectly blitzed in as Prochazka was recovering his stance to deliver some devastating punches. Khalil knew he won the first round, and punctuated his lead as the second began with a powerful combination (V4).
Rountree was largely picking Prochazka apart for most of the first two rounds. His powerful combinations were taking advantage of Prochazka’s poorer habits, and was more tepid as a result. Rountree nullified the pressure of Prochazka by staying calm in the face of a hard-to-read offense. Prochazka knew he was down, you can even see his frustration getting hit so hard in (V2). The crisp and patient counters now put the pressure on him, and Prochazka responded the only way he knew how.
V2
V3
V4
‘Do not be influenced by the opponent’
-Miyamoto MusashiJiri Prochazka is wholly committed to his die by the sword approach for better or worse. He has a chin of iron that he uses for all its worth, and should he encounter adversity, it is the durability of a man who meditates in ice cold lakes that re-ignites his own pressure. (V5).
‘How can he still be standing? I’ve hit him with everything I’ve got.’
It’s a demoralizing prospect, and the detriment to Rountree’s approach is that he is also ‘all or nothing’. His significant offense through the early rounds of his fights is so fast-twitch dependent, and he can only sprint for so long.
Prochazka led the third round much the same way Rountree opened the second: moving forward with hard shots, and his case, reckless abandon (V5). He wanted to establish his own initiative before Rountree could comfortable, and it set the stage for the rest of the fight. Prochazka was still getting hit with hard counter shots, but he persisted all the same.
He was now moving forward after hard shots by Rountree and keeping his lead hand in front of his face (V6). His wide stance and lanky stature gives him a nice, long jab to work behind, and in this case game him a non-committal weapon to maintain offense in between Rountree’s counters. It maintained offensive pressure on that needed to be addressed, and allowed him to build volume behind the jab. Using it more proactively even allowed hi to counter Rountree’s own blitzes in a lovely little sequence of hooking off the jab in V6.
Prochazka’s jab allowed him to maintain some level of offense, but it was his classic ‘right hand feint to front kick’ that completely demoralized the man standing across from him (V7). His most consistent weapon across his whole UFC career, the feint into the front kick looks almost goofy in execution, but is lands in almost every instance. It caused an immediate change of behavior in V7 as Rountree was caught mid-hook. He tensed up, brought his guard up, moved back, and threw some slow shots to try and keep the Czech maniac off of him, but the damage had been done.
Prochazka’s jab and front kick became synergistic weapons to maintain his offense from a long range and wear the already fading Rountree out (V8). Having only landed a few, the retreats from Rountree only became more obvious and side-on, to hide his body. Prochazka had not only worked his way back into the fight by moving forward in spite of a terrifyingly dangerous offense, but utilizing weapons that would systematically reinforce his initiative. He put the pressure back on Rountree both mentally and physically.
Rountree was still landing before he was finished, but Prochazka’s vicious assault to the body had done its work. His body language told Prochazka all he needed to know as he pushed Rountree to the fence, trying to push the man off of him with outstretched arms in a last ditch effort to make it to the closing bell (V9). The Czech samurai was too fresh, and landed a left hook on the chin that brought the fight to a close. Prochazka was met with every reason he couldn’t, and shouldn’t keep moving forward, but he did anyway, and is the better for it here.
V5
V6
V7
V8
V9
‘In duels of strategy you must move the opponent’s attitude. Attack where his spirit is lax, throw him into confusion, irritate and terrify him. Take advantage of the enemy’s rhythm when he is unsettled and you can win’
-Miyamoto MusashiMore Than Just Volume: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
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