(Dave Mandel/Sherdog)Technique Spotlight: Overhand Right Jessica Doerner July 16, 2015 News, Spotlight The technique we’re going to spotlight is the overhand right. This is a popular punch used in mixed martial arts, muay thai, and boxing. The overhand right is a power punch and has been used to knockout many fighters. This is a looping punch that is good at closing the distance between you and your opponent. This punch should be used at midrange. It is hard to land this punch if you are far from your opponent and difficult to land if you are too close. This punch can be used on its own, but is usually better setup by a jab or a combination jab, straight right, then, the overhand right. By using the jab first, you are able to get yourself in to range for the correct distance to land the overhand. This punch is used by your back hand looping over your shoulder and turning thumb down aiming for the head of your opponent while turning your back foot to help generate more power. The overhand is a popular punch used by pressure fighters or brawlers and not normally used by technical pure boxers. Chuck Liddell and Dan Henderson both successfully used the overhand right. Rampage Jackson used the overhand right to defeat Chuck Liddell by TKO at UFC 71. I would consider the overhand right an intermediate level punch. It is not too dangerous of move for less experienced fighters to try, but it can put you in positions that can be easily countered. The overhand right should be practiced and perfected before using in sparring or a fight. This punch is not too difficult to learn, but like all techniques, if used incorrectly, it could put you in a vulnerable position in a fight.
