How to counter a powerful Left Roundhouse Kick from a Southpaw in MT?

Question

This is an extremely educational, humbling and interesting MT fight/technique breakdown video. It shows the ferocity of Samkor Kiatmontep's Left Roundhouse Kick from the southpaw stance against Satoshi (a formidable fighter known for his punch combos).

Quick Question: How would you counter or fight Samkor and neutralize his Left Roundhouse?

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Details:

I had seen this video many times, and tried to go into southpaw (I am orthodox) when I sparred someone with good punching skill or a high guard. But I could never stay on a southpaw stance for long as nothing seemed to flow naturally for me except the left roundhouse kick. I was getting off-balanced to my right-side.

Recently, I sparred with a much advanced MT practitioner, who is old but had been a champion in his young days. He is naturally southpaw. While sparring he kept moving forward Jabbing and then throwing the Lead Roundhouse kick (for southpaw it is the Right leg). Given he was a champion, I have a feeling he just did not want to hurt me with the Rear Roundhouse. While throwing the Lead Roundhouse, he kept swinging his Lead hand down leaving his face open. Twice, when he kicked, I countered with my left hook, given the Lead Roundhouse is not as damaging.

I can't imagine what I would do if he used his Rear Roundhouse like Samkor.

Question: What are possible counters to (or techniques to capitalize on) the Left Roundhouse Kick (from a Southpaw) that are thrown to destroy not only the Liver but also the hands?

Research: This video shows some counters to Southpaws in general but its not specific to great kickers like Samkor. Also this is very generic. This shows a good body shot option as the liver side is on the front. Joe, as always, has some good advice here. He says to dominate the lead foot and control the lead hand to stay outside their centerline.

Answer 1

How would you counter or fight Samkor and neutralize his Left Roundhouse?

He looks like a formidable fighter! Not only does he kick very hard, but also very explosively - without much telegraphing. There are a number of ways I'd try to restrict his use of that kick, but obviously you need to be better than him at something to have any hope...

• spend more time just outside the reach of the kick, then close very suddenly and selectively into striking range yourself while keeping him busy - attacking repeatedly, using your footwork, and closing to clinch if advantageous or if it offers some respite; if he starts to re-establish kicking range and you can't stay in close don't be shy about slipping back out of range completely; making an opponent "chase" after you a little then suddenly closing distance is a core skill, needing better timing and footwork than him or for him to fail to register the importance of outclassing you at this; use a mixture of forward/back and side-to-side circling footwork to make it harder for him to line up his kicks

  • when you close distance, sometimes slip towards him initially then arc away from (or sometimes into) any back leg roundhouse kick as you get close: if you've circled even 20 degrees around him and he doesn't dynamically adjust the focus of his kick, he'll lose most of the power and even if there's contact you should hopefully be able to counter more quickly and powerfully than you can otherwise

  • having a good stance is really important for closing the gap suddenly, and delivering a powerful technique in the process; make sure you back foot is facing more forwards than sideways: if there was an arrow through the back of your knee and out your patela, it should only be about 30 degrees outwards from a line to your opponent, so you can straighten that back leg and have it thrust you fairly directly forwards

• try to kick him first, but if you're over-reaching he'll probably stay out of range then kick you as you fall into range, so it's a cat-and-mouse game...

  • if you can read the timing of his kicks well enough, use your "teep" to prevent him getting close, and to jam the rotation of his hips powering the kick, or possibly use a front leg side kick if you know how to deliver one well (it has long range and lots of power if you're good at it, but it isn't traditionally used in MT)

  • mix in your own back-leg kicks into the inner thigh of his supporting leg; even if you're kicking with half his power, if you can make contact even a smidge before him it should compromise his balance and body mechanics and ultimately the power in his kick

• if you're going to have to check or block the kick, do everything you can to fire off a counter simultaneously or immediately afterwards: for example if you can check with your leg fire off a punch concurrently or push/fall through into an elbow, or if you block with your forearms throw a front leg front-, roundhouse- or side-kick

Ultimately, it's good to have a few ideas to try, but you'll need lots of practice and experience too to pull anything off, and what makes sense to try depends both on what you're good at and what your opponent's good at.

Answer 2

Open up with uppercut after uppercut and aim for their pelvis area or jaw.