A Close Look at Mirko Cro Cop and the Axe Kick

Our friends at BloodyElbow have a new piece up that you really should check out.  As part of the regular Judo Chop series (an excellent feature that highlights specific techniques at use in MMA fights) , Kid Nate takes a close look at the beautiful axe kick Mirko Cro Cop threw against Pat Barry at UFC 115 last weekend. 

If anyone is familiar with the great Kyokushin Karate Fighter Andy Hug (RIP) you will know of the axe kick. Sometimes called the drop heel kick or Otoshi Geri it is one of them rarely thrown kicks that if landed can do a great deal of damage.

To execute it from a fighting stance you simply swing your back or front leg up keeping it straight and drop it down on your opponent. As your foot makes a decent from its highest position you lean slightly backwards from your upper body so as to keep stabilised, well balanced and for further reach. On contact try to avoid having the striking leg completely straight but bent slightly so as to not damage the knee. Your striking weapon is the heel of the foot. As with all kicks its best to have your standing leg slightly bent also for extra balance. Targets for striking include the top part of the head, collar bone, shoulder, your opponents back (if they are bent forward) and your opponent's front thigh (if the leg is bent enough).

The article goes on to closely break down Mirko's axe kick, using some excellent gifs, as well as some guest analysis by yours truly:

One of the keys to any good strike is the set up. Get your opponent's defenses moving away from your intended target and you can increase your effectiveness. The best set up for an axe kick is to feint a left high kick - as a result, the axe kick is an excellent choice for Cro Cop. Opponents know to anticipate his left high kick, and so it is easy for him to fake them out. In this particular fight, faking out Barry is especially important, as Barry establishes in round 1 that he is a faster striker than Cro Cop. For Mirko to land, he will have to rely on superior technique, rather than simple speed.

Overall, it's a great, detailed look at Cro Cop's technique, and I'm glad to have been a part of it.  And if you have not yet read any of Nate's other Judo Chop pieces, I strongly urge you to check them out here.

Click here for the full article.