Getting Rocked

Connecting with repeated strikes or a sudden counter can rock your opponent, causing him to enter the “rocked” state.

Once rocked, a fighter must find a way to buy some time and clear his head—if he’s still standing, this can be accomplished by blocking, clinching, or scoring a takedown.

If additional strikes are landed against a rocked opponent, the referee may be forced to step in and stop the fight, resulting in a TKO.

Rocked fighters may end up in one of many different positions. Most often, they’ll drop to the mat, their mind in a haze of pain.

Quickly finish the fight by tilting the Movement stick toward the fallen opponent to close in, then perform repeated strikes to entice the ref to step in.

Or take the opportunity to easily transition to a more dominant position, or to lock in a submission that should be short work to finish.

In some cases, the rocked fighter may still maintain his footing. Be more tactical in your approach here, and don’t go hunting for the finish. Instead, simply take the opportunity to score more points with the judges, remaining wary of your rival’s attempts to clinch or take you down.

For example, if the opponent is simply protecting the head, rip off a punishing string of strong strikes to the undefended body or legs.