The conclusion: If I ever got into a fight, I’m sure that the only damage I’d do is to the floor as I crash into it. As such, I selfishly reached out to a host of professional fighters, whose job it is to give and take hits, to ask them where their least favorite spot to receive a shot is and how to defend against it.
Hopefully, you don’t ever get into a scuffle—but if you do, here’s where it’s going to hurt and how you should cover up.
“Worst place to get hit is the head—specifically, the chin. The first time I got hit on the chin was during my first sparring session. I was an amateur at the time, and it got me thinking about what I was getting myself into. The best way to avoid it is by keeping your guard up and making sure your head is constantly moving.”
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Juan “The Spaniard” Archuleta*
Record: 23-2
Fighting weight: 145 pounds
Fighting for: Bellator
Accomplishments: 19-fight win streak (2015-2019), 11 wins by knockout
“I think the worst place to get hit is in the back of the head! It happens very fast, and a lot of referees don’t make the call to stop it when it happens. It knocks out your equilibrium and it’s a hard punch to rebound from. My only tip to avoid being hit in the back of the head is to not be under your opponent and try like hell to get on top.”
“Definitely a punch to the face. A kick can be stronger, but a punch is way more precise. I can’t recall the first time I got hit that way, but I remember the strongest and it was against Bozigit Ataev during our second bout. I had to stomp my foot on the ground, bite my mouth guard, and move forward. The secret to avoiding that is to shorten the distance. If you shorten that distance using wrestling you’ll make their arms tired, which will ultimately take away their power.”
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John Locher/AP/Shutterstock / Shutterstock
Cris Cyborg*
Record: 21-2
Fighting weight: 145 pounds
Fighting for: Bellator
Accomplishments: Former UFC Champion, current Bellator featherweight fighter
“I don’t want to be cliché, but getting hit in the face is never fun. And unchecked leg kicks aren’t the most feel-good either. To me, getting hit is a reminder to use the skills you’ve trained hard to obtain.”
*After a dominating career in the UFC, Cyborg will make her Bellator debut on January 25 to fight the current Women’s Lightweight champ Julia Budd at Bellator 238.
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@tiffanytimebomb/Instagram
Tiffany “Time Bomb” Van Soest
Record: 21-4-1
Fighting weight: 120 pounds
Fighting for: GLORY Kickboxing
Accomplishments: Glory Super Bantamweight Champion (2016), Lion Fight Featherweight Champion, Lion Fight Super Bantamweight Champion, WBC Muay Thai International Bantamweight Champion
“The worst place to get it his is in your eye—you can’t gauge distance or see any punches and kicks. It happened to me in a bout and I thought, ‘Oh, so this is what it’s like to fight with one eye!’ I had to keep my distance for the entire round and hope my vision would return. The only way to avoid those strikes [which, in a sanctioned bout are usually accidental] is to master your head movement.”
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Lucas Noonan/Bellator MMA
Sergio Pettis*
Record: 18-5
Fighting weight: 125 pounds
Fighting for: Bellator
Accomplishments: Former Resurrection Fighting Alliance Flyweight Champion
“The worst place to be hit is directly on the chin, especially in front of thousands of people. First time I got clipped on the chin, I don’t remember much, but I do remember thinking, ‘Holy shit, I can’t believe I got caught.’ When I came back to full consciousness, the ref was telling me that he was going to stop it. I was dominating that fight, too. I was humbled. That changed my game forever. The best way to avoid that is to just be aware for the duration of the fight. You really can’t lose focus, even for one second.”
“A liver shot is by far the worst. A bad one will put your body into shock and paralysis. It’s the worst pain you can feel. Brandon Rios hit me there, right in the liver, and it hurt so much. While sparring, I’ve hit a few guys with them and you can tell by their reaction and the pain in the eyes how badly it hurts. The worst ones are the ones you don’t see. Keep your elbows in and tight at all times—you never know when a good body shot is coming your way.”
*Catch Garcia’s next fight on February 29 against Jessie Vargas, streaming on DAZN.
“It’s definitely no fun to take a body shot. I remember taking one in training that almost dropped me and thinking, ‘Holy shit, so that’s what this is all about.’ And the only real way to block one of those is with your arms, but while still protecting your head.”
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Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA
Devin “The Dream” Haney
Record: 24-0
Fighting weight: 135 pounds
Fighting for: Matchroom Boxing USA
Accomplishments: WBC Lightweight Champion, ranked the third-best active lightweight by The Ring magazine, earned ESPN’s 2019 Knockout of The Year
“To me, the worst place to get hit has to be the ear—your head starts ringing, your equilibrium is off, and it hurts. I fought in Philly a few years back and got hit in the ear in the second round. My head was ringing for the rest of the fight. I couldn’t hear for about two days after the fight. It was bad. The key to avoiding that one is to always move your head and keep your hands up at all times.”
