Jayme Sandall, a highly respected karateka and coach of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) kingpin Vitor Belfort, has shared his thoughts on some of the most talented names in the UFC. With a 28-year career and 445 victories in karate matches, Sandall worked with Belfort before five bouts. For 21 years, Sandall represented the Brazilian national team for karate, led by Yoshizo Machida, father of Lyoto Machida. In this article, Sandall discusses some of the best strikers he sees in the UFC now and how they can excel in potential matchups down the line.
Top Strikers in the UFC
Before pointing to any one fighter, Sandall noted that the top strikers he sees are not from karate disciplines. Instead, they are all kickboxers of some variety. Sandall said, “Israel Adesanya is intelligent, fast and calm, and a guy like that is very dangerous. Jiri Prochazka is weird in a good way: he dodges, lowers his guard, throws jabs that surprise opponents. Alex Pereira is incredible, I’m a big fan, he has heavy hands and a solid chin.”
Potential Matchup Between Pereira and Prochazka
There is speculation about “Poatan” Pereira facing Prochazka in a light heavyweight championship bout, but the UFC has not confirmed it yet. Sandall analyzed the potential pairing between two of his three favorites, while offering advice to the Brazilian. He stated, “I think ‘Poatan’ needs to move back more and take fewer hits. He comes from kickboxing, where the glove is bigger and you allow yourself to take some hits to close the distance. You can’t do that in MMA because gloves are much smaller and harder, especially in [the] UFC. Jiri moves back very well, he can set a trap for Pereira to approach, and he can counter. Alex needs to work on his dodging and [his footwork] moving backward.”
In conclusion, Jayme Sandall’s insight provides valuable information on the striking capabilities of various UFC fighters and potential matchups. As a respected coach with experience in both karate and MMA, his analysis can help shape the strategies of fighters looking to excel in the UFC.