There is a faction among combat sports fans who hold one technique above all others. To this modest, elite society, nothing beats the aesthetic of a fighter chopping down their opponent. For those who value the art of the lumberjack above all else, we present GIFs of the best Leg Kicks of July 2018.
From Pedro Rizzo to Edson Barboza, low kick masters are consistently the most feared fighters in martial arts. A limping opponent can be rendered helpless as they’re continuously battered.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan has compared being hit full swing to the impact of a baseball bat. The entire complexion of a fight can be changed from just one kick.
Check out the best performances of July 2018 that featured a heavy emphasis on punting the lower limbs. Big shouts to Mike Skytte and Ryan Wagner for contributing candidates, there are thousands of fights every week and no one can keep track on their own.
Lumberjacks: Best Leg Kicks August 2018
It was a light month for leg murdering. Perhaps expectations were too high after an embarrassment of riches in June and July. We were still treated to three unique low kicking performances, with two TKOs, spanning the US, Japan and Russia.
Featured Lumberjack: Pedro Munhoz
Pedro Munhoz earned his hat and beard this month with a near amputation against Brett Johns.(vs. Brett Johns, UFC 227)
It’s hard to overstate how tough Brett Johns is. He was nearly finished to the legs, head, and body but adapted and persevered to make it to the final horn. A grappler by trade, Pedro Munhoz unleashed his underrated kicking game to nearly cripple the durable Welshman.
If he finished that leg lock after dropping Johns with a leg kick it would be my favorite submission of all time.
Munhoz whacked Johns right behind the knee with pinpoint accuracy. Anyone who has been chopped up by low kicks knows there’s nothing worse than being hit in the same spot without end. Pure torture.
Johns wisely switched stances in the final round, saving him from the leg kick TKO and opening up the rest of Munhoz’s arsenal. Pick your poison.
Taiki Naito vs. Hannya Hashimoto
(RIZIN 12)
There is so much to love about RIZIN FF. Come for the PRIDE FC nostalgia, stay for the high-level, home-grown talent and plethora of featured kickboxing bouts.
The Japanese kickboxing scene (JKick, if you nasty) hosts some of the greatest lighter weight strikers in the world. If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve likely caught wind of the violence lord Takeru or the prodigy Tenshin Nasukawa.
Shootboxing ace Taiki Naito made his RIZIN debut in a kickboxing bout against Hannya Hashimoto, who represents the Muay Thai style. It was a bout full of low kicks from both men, but the icy Naito seemed to be cruising, using his length to easily break down his foe.
That is, until he was countered and sat on his butt. This angered Naito, who turned up the heat and quickly finished Hashimoto with low kicks in the second round.
The best part of shootboxing is the pants.
Viktor Kolesnik vs. Daniel Swain
(M-1 Challenge 96)
M-1 Global is set for a huge resurgence. The long-standing Russian promotion seemed to have fallen from prominence, that is until they announced a deal with the UFC. The exposure of M-1 champions to the North American mainstream should get a lot of eyes on their promotion of origin.
22-year-old Victor Kolesnik is one to keep an eye on. Five years into his pro career, he is 15-2 with his most recent loss coming to the champion, the enigmatic Nate Landwehr.
Last week he took on friend of the site, Daniel Swain (he had a great kneebar finish in his previous bout). Word on the street is that Swain had suffered an injury to his leg in training camp, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying some good old fashion lumberjacking.
The rare leg kick TKO to a grounded opponent.
Join the Cult
If this content speaks to your soul, there are ways you can contribute. We want to make sure every great leg kicking performance gets its time in the spotlight. Hit us up on Twitter, or in the comments with any noteworthy candidates you may come across!
August hosted a beautiful win for the wildman Justin Gaethje. Check out our Justin Gaethje Leg Kick Highlight. July also featured a highlight video of Jose Aldo‘s best low kicks. Stay tuned for more leg murdering goodness.
