Clinch Boxing

Been working on CM3 and CM4 range last couple of weeks. The clinch is one of the infighting tool I've managed to use successfully in many sparring sessions ever since I first learned it. One of my personal favorite is the Muay Thai neck tie or plum position. I slapped it on with devastating effect during many sparrings last year but sad to say it's no longer working as well as I wanted it to now. Not because it's no longer effective but rather Vince has taught us a whole series of counters and escapes to this often used clinch: with pummeling, shrugging, underhooking, slipping, takedown and etc.

I was taught to slap it on tight, control the opponent neck and spine then transition from double collar tie to single collar back to double to disorientate, unbalance and lock-up the opponent as you put in your strikes during all the phases. Recently I've learned a better approach than moving from side to side with the opponent in my clinch. Happened when Vince sparred with me last month and played a pressurer/angler game. It's the first time I experienced the Crazy Monkey Straight Jacket Clinch in action. Vince moved in fast to close the distance between us while hitting me with his tricky combos. Once he caught me in a Muay Thai clinch, he started pushing me backward to the wall. I tried to stay calm and work my escapes but my limbs are trapped against the wall. Then he overhook one of my right arm and while hitting me continuously, grabbed and overhook my left arm too, using just one of his arm. With both my arms trapped, Vince unleashed a punishing combos of hooks & uppercuts to my body and head with his other free hand. When I tried to put my shin into his abdomen to push him away, he grabbed my leg and did a single leg takedown then moved in to some final ground and pound. Whew, talk about textbook MMA.

Imagine all these started from the clinch. As Patrick later taught me, it's better to push the opponent into the wall than jerking or swinging him around. Use the wall to trap him or limit his movement while striking him continuously. This is the beauty of clinch boxing - once you have someone in a Muay Thai clinch, Straight Jacket Clinch, Greco Roman double or single collar tie, you can choose to KO him, submit him, slam or throw him, take him down or just lock him up. More to come...