Ground Strikes

Last updated: May 25, 2026

What are ground strikes?

Ground strikes are any strikes delivered when at least one fighter is on the mat during an MMA contest. The category covers punches and elbows along with hammerfists, body knees, and up-kicks from the bottom. These strikes show up across a few different scenarios: a top fighter striking a grounded opponent, a bottom fighter striking up at a standing or kneeling opponent, or both fighters trading shots while tangled on the canvas.

The category exists because mixed martial arts is one of the only mainstream combat sports that permits striking after a fight hits the floor. In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, striking is not allowed at all. In wrestling, the goal is positional control rather than damage. Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, and Don Frye were among the wrestlers in early UFC events who first combined takedowns with strikes from the top, building the foundation of what would later be called ground and pound.

Ground strikes also have a regulatory dimension. The Unified Rules of MMA, which govern most professional fights worldwide, define exactly which ground strikes are legal and which are not. The rules around “grounded” status change what a top fighter is allowed to throw at any given moment.

How ground strikes work in MMA

A ground striking sequence usually begins with a takedown, a throw, or a knockdown that puts one fighter on the canvas. From there, the top fighter looks for a dominant position, often full mount, side control, half guard, or back mount, before opening up with strikes. From these positions, a fighter can land short punches and elbows with body weight behind them.

The fighter on the bottom is not defenceless. They can throw up-kicks at a standing opponent, short elbows from the closed guard, and hammerfists when their hands break free. The bottom position is harder to score from, but it remains part of the ground striking exchange.

Power on the ground is generated differently from standing power. A 2022 peer-reviewed study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health measured strikes from 81 MMA practitioners and found that the elbow strike produced the highest impulse, while the palm strike produced the highest peak force across professional men, advanced men, and advanced women. The grounded opponent’s head also cannot absorb impact by snapping back, which means more energy from each blow transfers into the target.

Ground strikes vs. ground and pound

The two terms get used as though they are interchangeable, but ground and pound is a subset of ground strikes, not the whole category.

Term	What it covers
Ground strikes	Any legal strike thrown during the ground phase, from the top or the bottom, including up-kicks and short elbows from guard.
Ground and pound	A specific strategy of taking an opponent down, holding a dominant top position, and striking them with controlled blows.

Ground and pound describes a top-control approach to striking on the canvas. Ground strikes is the wider category that also covers anything thrown from the bottom or while both fighters are scrambling.

The phrase “ground and pound” was coined by Mark Coleman. In a pre-fight interview before UFC 14, Coleman told Joe Rogan that he planned to take his opponent down and pound him, which is considered the first televised use of the term. Coleman is now in the UFC Hall of Fame and is widely referred to as “The Godfather of Ground and Pound.” That history is why the phrase is embedded in MMA vocabulary, even though “ground strikes” is the more technically accurate umbrella term.

Legal and illegal ground strikes

Most professional MMA in North America runs under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. The framework was drafted in the early 2000s and formally adopted by the Association of Boxing Commissions in July 2009. Several specific ground strike scenarios are illegal under those rules:

• Kneeing or kicking the head of a grounded opponent
• Strikes to the spine or the back of the head
• Throat strikes of any kind
• Stomping a grounded opponent
• Soccer kicks (in jurisdictions following the Unified Rules)

The definition of “grounded” matters because it determines which strikes are legal. Until 2024, a fighter was considered grounded if the palm of one hand was flat on the canvas, which gave fighters an incentive to touch a hand down to avoid a head kick. In July 2024 the Association of Boxing Commissions amended the rule: any part of the body other than the hands or feet now counts as grounded contact.

The same 2024 update also removed 12-to-6 elbows from the fouls list under the Unified Rules. A 12-to-6 elbow is one thrown straight down in a vertical line, and it had been illegal since the original ruleset was drafted in 2000. Adoption of the change is not yet universal, since the Unified Rules function as a guideline that each athletic commission chooses whether to follow.

Outside North America, the rules vary. Japan’s RIZIN promotion allows soccer kicks and knees to the head of a grounded opponent. Elbows to the head, including the 12-to-6 variety, are permitted in RIZIN bouts when both fighters agree to allow them.

Common types of ground strikes

The strikes used during the ground phase fall into a handful of categories. Each one has a distinct role depending on position and target.

Strike	Typical positions	What it does
Punches	Mount, side control, guard	Most common ground strike. Accumulates damage and forces the bottom fighter to defend.
Elbows	Half guard, side control, mount	Legal across most of the body. Cuts more than punches and works well in tight contact.
Hammerfists	Inside closed guard, from the bottom	Downward blow with the side of a closed fist. Useful when there is no room for a full punch.
Knees to the body	Side control, top half guard	Heavy body strikes used to wear down ribs and torso. Knees to the head of a grounded opponent are illegal.
Up-kicks	Bottom position on the back	Kick from the back at a standing or kneeling opponent. Legality depends on whether the target is grounded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ground strikes allowed in MMA?

Yes. Ground strikes are legal in MMA and are one of the features that distinguish it from sports like boxing or Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The specific strikes allowed depend on the ruleset and on whether the opponent is considered grounded.

Can a fighter strike the head of a grounded opponent?

It depends on the strike and the ruleset. Under the Unified Rules of MMA, punches, elbows, and hammerfists to the head of a grounded opponent are legal, but knees and kicks to the head of a grounded opponent are not.

Who invented ground and pound?

Mark Coleman is credited with developing and popularising the strategy in the mid-1990s. He captured the UFC 10 tournament title at the July 1996 event by stopping Moti Horenstein, Gary Goodridge, and Don Frye on the same night. His wrestling-based approach in those fights became the template for what would soon be called ground and pound.

Is ground and pound the same as ground strikes?

No. Ground and pound is a specific top-position strategy involving control plus striking. Ground strikes are the broader category covering any strike thrown while a fighter is on the canvas, including up-kicks from the bottom.

Are 12-to-6 elbows still illegal in MMA?

Not under the latest Unified Rules. The Association of Boxing Commissions removed 12-to-6 elbows from the fouls list in July 2024. Individual athletic commissions choose whether to adopt the change, so the rule is not yet uniform across every promotion.

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Sources

1. UFC. “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.” ufc.com. Accessed May 2026.
2. CBS Sports. “Commission removes 12-6 elbows from Unified MMA rules, updates grounded opponent rule.” July 2024.
3. Wikipedia. “Mixed martial arts rules.” Accessed May 2026.
4. Wikipedia. “Ground and pound.” Accessed May 2026.
5. Wikipedia. “Mark Coleman.” Accessed May 2026.
6. UFC. “Mark Coleman – The Hammer’s Greatest Hits.” ufc.com.
7. Stastny, P. et al. “Performance Level and Strike Type during Ground and Pound Determine Impact Characteristics and Net Force Variability.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022.

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