Top 10 Muay Thai knockouts [2022]
Muay Thai is one of the top contact sports in the world. It involves strength, technique, discipline, speed, and endurance. Being able to deliver the right blows with the right amount of power and precision could be the difference between a fighter being knocked out and his opponent taking the win. In order to deliver the perfect knockout blow, you have to first know the knockout moves.
In the ring, you have to know to think on your feet (literally), using creativity and training to overcome your opponent.
These fighters were able to do just that and ultimately win the match. Here is a list of the top Muay Thai knockout moments of 2022 and the move that helped the fighter secure the win.
H2: Muay Thai knockout target areas
- Chin/Jaw - This is a popular target area, mainly because it is the largest area of your opponent’s face, which means it can be an easy target to land. You are also able to attack that area using a number of strikes including - front kicks, hooks, elbows, knee kicks, heel kicks, and uppercuts. A solid blow to the jaw is the most likely way to see your opponent falling to the ground.
- The Temple - Run your fingers along the area on your face right between your eyes and ears. Feel that indentation? That area is your temple and is a prime target area for Muay Thai knockouts. It is the weakest part of your skull because the bone is thinner there than other parts of the skull. The strikes used to attack that area include overhands, hooks and haymakers, heel and roundhouse kicks.
- Behind the ears - If you’re a Muay Thai fighter who has accurate aim, this is a good spot for a knockout move. It is an area that is guaranteed a knockout, but if your aim is off, and you hit the wrong area, you can be penalized by the referee. Hitting the back of an opponent’s head is illegal in Muay Thai (and virtually all combat sports) so it could lead to a disqualification. So this move is not recommended unless you are absolutely confident in your aim.
- The Neck - If you manage to land a strike on the neck just before the ear, you are likely to KO your opponent. That area is pretty sensitive and hence could lead to a one-shot knock out.
- The Solar Plexus - The Solar Plexus is a soft area found in the pit of the stomach between the bottom of the sternum and the top of the abdomen. It is a complex system of radiating nerves and ganglia. It is a popular area for knockouts because a hard strike there could shut down your opponent’s body, and make it hard for them to breathe.
It is an easy target area, and delivering several types of strikes there could accomplish the intention. Some strikes that may be used to accomplish a KO in that area are - front kicks, flying kicks, jabs and straights, or knees from the clinch.
Achieving a solid KO in a Muay Thai match is literally the difference between a match won and one lost. Knowing where and how to strike to get a KO will make you a much better Muay Thai fighter and one more challenging in the ring.