ERIC KOCH

ATTRIBUTES

OFFENSIVE SKILLS

DEFENSIVE SKILLS

ULTIMATE TECHNIQUES

LEFT MUAY THAI HEAD KICK

Level 2—Both Standing, Striking Range

Koch is a skilled kicker, and this heavy head kick is one of his best technique strikes on the feet. Lash out with this head kick to rock opponents with an unexpected shin to the chin.

CRUSHING LEFT KNEE

Level 2—Muay Thai Clinch Cage, Offense

Koch’s clinch strikes can be brutal, especially when he pins his rival against the fence. Work these crushing Muay Thai knees to punish rivals after trapping them against the cage.

DIRECT CATCH TO TRIANGLE CHOKE

Level 2—Open Guard Clinch, Bottom

New Breed knows some excellent submissions, including this tight triangle from the bottom. Opponents who think they can relax after taking him down are in for a nasty surprise.

STRENGTHS

• Submissions

• Striking

• Heart

Erik Koch is a young but talented featherweight who’s looking to make a name for himself in the UFC’s newest division.

He brings excellent striking to bear against his opponents inside the Octagon and can also work an effective submission game when the action hits the mat.

Use his great hand speed to light up his opponents with quick strikes on the feet. He has a good chin, so feel comfortable being aggressive and mixing it up in the stand-up game. Even if taken down, New Breed can handle himself very well on bottom.

Work for triangles and kimuras from ground clinches to keep the top opponent defending rather than attacking. His strong submission ability off his back gives his opponents something to worry about in addition to his fast hands and durability.

WEAKNESSES

• Strength

• Clinch grappling

• Takedowns

Though Koch has fast hands and good footwork, he’s a little weaker than some of the UFC’s elite-level featherweights, and he lacks control in the clinch game.

Nullify his fast footwork and blistering stand-up by controlling New Breed in the clinch and working him over with Muay Thai strikes, or use the clinch to secure a powerful throw against him, landing in dominant position on the ground.

Takedowns can be effective against him, but clinch throws such as suplexes from the Double Underhook clinch are the ideal way of bringing him to the mat, because these commonly land you in dominant positions such as Side Control, where he can’t threaten you with his dangerous submissions from the bottom.

Rolling with such an accomplished submission grappler is risky of course, so try damaging him with strikes in the clinch instead, where he’s most vulnerable.