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Slips are often a misunderstood technique since combat sports fans think they are purely defensive and used for evading punches, however there is a lot more nuance and context when using this tool. There are inherent risks and dangers when using any tool in combat sports and slipping is no different. There are two types of slips: rear side slip and the lead side slip. Both types of slips have their dangers and benefits in the open stance match up.
Slipping to the Rear Side
It's best to look at southpaw vs orthodox match ups to really understand the dangers of slipping in a ruleset that involves kicking. The rear kick from this stance matchup is very effective at punishing the rear side slip.
The importance of the standing leg as mentioned in a previous study:
"Slipping to the rear foot in an open stance matchup is the most risky and most dangerous thing to do. This is because of the position of the standing leg. It only needs a small adjustment in the pocket and has all the space for the rear kick to meet the path of the slip."
- 9h6st21
Read on SubstackVideo 1: Video breakdown of how easy it is to adjust the standing leg at borders in an open stance matchup. Usman reacting to the feinted rear straight by slipping to the rear side cost him here since he’s in the grey area between borders and the pocket.
One of the dangers of open stance matchups is the grey area between the pocket and borders. Open stance matchup are usually a battle of “flint locks” as Jack Slack says. So feints from borders become really convincing because of the small distance needed to cross it. Even high level fighters like Kamaru Usman was slipping a punch he thought was in pocket distance.
Video 2: Belal Muhammad slipping and trying to cross check (dutch block) a kick on the open side. Bringing both hands to block a body kick and slipping at the same time puts Muhammad’s head in the path of Edwards high kick.
This doesn’t mean that slipping to the open side should be avoided all together. There are examples of fighters that successfully slip to the open side and do not get punished for it. But they still follow the rules below: either clinch up or exit the pocket.
- 9h6st21
Read on SubstackVideo 3: Valentina Shevchenko dipping to the rear side as Kaytlyn Chookagian tries to set up a high kick. Normally this is dangerous, but in this case Shevchenko punishes Chookagian by crowding then catching her kick.
The way to make slips work in a sport that involves kicks:
- Understand the stance matchup and where the standing leg of the kick is.
- Don’t overuse it.
A general rule to follow is one slip followed by either exiting the pocket or clinching up to prevent further offense from the opponent.
In boxing some fighters can use 2-3 slips, but that is still dangerous since each subsequent slip in the pocket can damage the structure of the stance as well as position of the fighter.
Slipping to the Lead Side
Slipping to the lead side in an open stance matchup is less risky against kicks since the opponent would need to take a full step back in order to make space for their lead leg kick.
One of the best ways to slip to the rear side is what Toki Tamaru does in all his fights; where he slips outside the opponent’s lead foot and drop his level and enter in on a clinch. This removes a lot of the space needed for his opponent to kick him or even punch him.
Video 5: Tamaru doesn't lean into the open side like wrestle boxers in mma, but instead changes level with his head outside the opponent's lead shoulder and completely removes the space where his opponent can strike back.
While slipping to the lead side is less risky than slipping the rear side in open stance match ups. Its still dangerous if done at borders. Slipping in any scenario should be used to close down space or create it, but slipping to the lead side can be punished if the weight transition isn’t protected.
Video 6: Buckely uses an outside slip as he goes into the grey area of borders and the pocket. Holland’s jab keeps him in place so all his weight is on the lead foot and cannot move to smoother punches or leave range and gets punished for it.
Conclusion
There is a lot of nuance with slips in rulesets that require kicking. Slips can work in these rulesets, but they must be executed with the understanding of the distance that is being created or being removed.
For more information about slipping in closed stance matchups, please check out the video below:
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