Block

Last updated: May 12, 2026

What is a block?

A block is the act of placing a hard part of the body across the path of an incoming strike so the strike lands on bone or muscle that can withstand it, rather than on the head, jaw, ribs, or another vulnerable target. The forearm, elbow, shoulder, shin, and knee are the standard blocking surfaces.

Blocking is one piece of a wider defensive toolkit that also includes head movement and footwork, along with parrying and clinching. Most striking coaches treat it as a backup, not a first option. The general hierarchy is to avoid the strike with footwork or head movement first, redirect it with a parry second, and only block when the other options are not available. A block accepts contact in order to protect a more important target.

In MMA, the distinction matters because gloves are small (4 ounces) and offer almost no protective padding, so a block has to be active and well-placed. A passive shell or turtle position can be broken down over time, which is why MMA fighters are taught to block as a temporary measure that opens a counter window or buys time to reset.

How blocking works in MMA

The mechanics come down to a simple trade. Redirect the incoming strike onto a surface that can absorb the impact without lasting damage, and the worst part of the hit never reaches the intended target. A forearm can take a hook that would knock a fighter out if it landed clean on the jaw. A shin can stop a low kick that would buckle the thigh. The block converts a potentially fight-ending hit into a manageable one.

Two factors decide whether a block holds. The first is positioning. The blocking limb has to be between the strike and the target, with the angle of the forearm or shin matched to the angle of the strike. A flat forearm against a hook works; a vertical forearm against the same hook collapses inward. The second is conditioning. Checking a kick with the shin damages the attacker’s foot and shin and, in the worst case, can end in a broken leg for the kicker, but only if the defender’s shin is conditioned to take that impact.

MMA blocks are riskier than boxing blocks because of glove size. MMA gloves are small, and punches can slip through gaps that a 10-ounce boxing glove would fill. A 4-ounce glove leaves a clear lane in the same defensive posture, so a block in MMA has less margin for error than the same block in boxing. A guard can also be penetrated if it stays up too long, which is why fighters use blocks in short windows rather than as a sustained defense.

Types of blocks used in MMA

MMA fighters borrow blocking techniques from boxing, Muay Thai, and karate. The most common blocks used in the cage include the following.

Block	Body part used	Defends against
High guard (shell)	Gloves and forearms held high to the head	Straight punches, uppercuts, and elbows to the face
Long guard	One arm extended toward the opponent	Incoming punches; also used to measure range
Double forearm block	Both forearms held horizontally across the face	Hooks, straights, and elbows
Cross-arm block	Forearms crossed in front of the head	Roundhouse kicks and hooks to the head
Shoulder block	Lead shoulder raised to the chin	Crosses and straight punches
Low block	Elbows tucked tight to the torso	Body punches and body kicks
Check (shin block)	Lead leg lifted with the shin angled outward	Low kicks and some body kicks
Knee block	Knee raised into the path of the kick	Low kicks aimed at the thigh

The high guard and the check are the two most frequently seen in modern MMA. The high guard appears whenever a fighter is under sustained pressure on the feet, and the check appears any time an opponent throws a leg kick.

Block vs parry vs check vs cover

These four terms are often used interchangeably in casual commentary, but they describe distinct defensive actions. The differences matter because each creates a different counter window.

Term	What it does	Contact with strike	Counter potential
Block	Stops the strike with a hard body part	Full contact	Moderate; depends on block type
Parry	Redirects the strike off its line with a light touch	Glancing contact	High; opens immediate counter
Check	Blocks a kick using the shin or knee	Full contact, often damages kicker	Low in the moment, high over the fight
Cover	Shells up passively to absorb a flurry	Full contact, sustained	Low; survival posture

The cleanest way to separate them is by what happens to the strike. A block stops it on its line of attack, while a parry deflects it off that line entirely. Checks operate on the same principle as blocks but apply specifically to kicks, using the shin or knee rather than the arm. A cover is different: it is not a single action but a sustained absorption posture used when there is no time for anything else.

The check deserves its own note. When the defender blocks a kick with the shin or knee, the contact is hard bone against the attacker’s foot or shin, which can damage the kicker more than the defender. A well-conditioned check against a hard low kick can fracture the attacker’s leg. The most famous example came at UFC 168 in December 2013, when Anderson Silva broke his tibia attempting an inside low kick on Chris Weidman, who caught the kick on a textbook check.

Why blocking is often called a last resort in MMA

Most MMA coaches list blocking below evasion and parrying in the defensive hierarchy. Trainers commonly describe it as a backup option for moments when slipping or parrying are no longer available. Three reasons explain why.

The first is damage bleedthrough. A block reduces impact but rarely eliminates it. Power kicks and overhand punches still transfer force through a guard, especially in MMA, where gloves do not fill the gaps the way larger boxing gloves do.

The second is vision loss. The high guard, the most common MMA block, brings the gloves up to the eye line and partially obscures the fighter’s view of the opponent. A fighter who cannot see incoming strikes cannot read the next one, which is what makes the shell vulnerable to feints.

The third is the offensive cost. A fighter holding a block is not throwing strikes. Pressure fighters exploit this by keeping the opponent in blocking posture and walking them into the cage. Good blocking technique, therefore, includes a counter on the way out of the block, not just the block itself.

None of this means blocking is optional. It means blocking belongs to a specific moment, a brief defensive window that buys time before the fighter has to do something else with it. Fighters who treat the block as a static position get worn down behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you block every strike in MMA?

No. Some strikes carry too much force to fully neutralize through a block, and others come from angles that bypass a standard guard. Spinning back kicks and overhand punches often land even against a competent defender, and well-disguised elbows are hard to read in time. Blocking reduces damage; it rarely eliminates it.

Is blocking the same as covering up?

No. A block is an active defensive action that meets the strike with a specific body part. Covering up is a more passive position where a fighter brings both arms tight to the head and waits out a flurry. Coaches use the cover when there is no time to block or counter; the block is the preferred option when there is.

Why do MMA fighters block less than boxers?

MMA gloves are 4 ounces compared with boxing’s 8 to 10 ounces, so a block leaves more of the head exposed. MMA fighters also face kicks, knees, and elbows that punches alone do not include, which makes evasion and footwork more attractive than holding a static guard.

Do MMA fighters block kicks?

Yes, primarily through the check, which blocks the kick with the lead shin or knee. The check turns the defender’s bone into the contact surface and forces the attacker’s foot or shin to absorb most of the damage.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Blocking (martial arts).” Accessed May 2026.
2. Wikipedia. “Low kick.” Accessed May 2026.
3. Evolve MMA. “5 Basic Muay Thai Blocks To Know For Your Defense Game.” Accessed May 2026.
4. Evolve University. “MMA Defense: 5 Essential Techniques You Need To Know.” Accessed May 2026.
5. Sweet Science of Fighting. “How to Check a Kick: 3 Epic Techniques.” Accessed May 2026.
6. TEFMMA. “What Is A Checked Kick In MMA?.” Accessed May 2026.
7. The Fight Site. “MMA Basics: Kicking.” Accessed May 2026.
8. David Avellan. “MMA Beginner Series: Punch Blocking and Parrying.” Accessed May 2026.

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