If the past few months of MMA news has taught us anything, it’s “Don’t underestimate calf kicks.” These lower-body kicks may not have the instant knockout power of, say, a head kick, but we saw how Dustin Poirier used relentless, steady calf kicks to dismantle Conor McGregor in their fight at UFC 257. And of course, we saw that you can end a fight with a single calf kick when this Australian MMA fighter broke his opponent’s leg in one horrifying moment at the beginning of March.
If you’re training MMA yourself (or just want to know how to avoid getting wrecked by a kick to the calf), former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje believes he has the solution. Gaethje — who successfully defended himself against Edson Barboza’s lower leg kicks a couple years ago to win their fight — has shared a video demonstrating his preferred method of avoiding calf kick damage and turning the tables on your opponent.
Take a look:
