With Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic no longer at the top of the food chain in the realm of kicking in MMA, a less traditional breed of kickers has stepped to the forefront of this explosive offensive department.
Striking legends like Cro Cop and Pedro Rizzo employed a more conventional brand of Muay Thai, with round kicks to the legs, body and head and the occasional front kick making up their simple but effective arsenals.
Today, the sport’s top-tier kickers use both classic techniques and more modern and low-percentage kicks.
The notion of scoring a knockout from a spinning back kick, jumping crane kick or spinning wheel kick seems more feasible because of the presence of these men.
Here are the sport’s three best kickers.