Jumping Knee

Last updated: May 25, 2026

What is a jumping knee?

A jumping knee is a stand-up striking technique in which a fighter leaps off the ground and thrusts the knee into the opponent, usually targeting the head, chin, or midsection. The jump adds vertical lift and forward momentum to a strike that, on its own, is already one of the heaviest tools available in mixed martial arts.

The technique is borrowed directly from Muay Thai, where it is traditionally known as hanuman thayarn, named after Hanuman, the monkey-king of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Hanuman’s acrobatic combat style inspired a family of jumping attacks in old-style Muay Boran, and the jumping knee came into MMA through the broader influence of Muay Thai on stand-up striking in the 1990s and 2000s.

In a fight, the jumping knee plays a specific role. It bridges distance the way a kick does, but lands with the concentrated mass and bony edge of a knee, making it a knockout threat the moment it connects clean. The trade-off is exposure: a fighter in the air has no base to defend a takedown and no way to reset their stance if the strike misses. That is why the jumping knee is treated as a high-risk, high-reward strike rather than a high-volume one.

How the jumping knee works

The mechanics are simple to describe and difficult to time. From a striking stance, the fighter pushes off the lead leg, drives both feet off the canvas, and launches the rear knee toward the target while rotating the hips forward. The arms extend to maintain balance and to control the opponent’s posture on landing.

Power comes from two sources stacked together: forward momentum as the fighter travels toward the target, plus upward drive as the hips snap into the strike. The standard target is the head when the opponent is upright. Against a ducking opponent, the strike often lands on the chin or jaw, and against a fighter level-changing for a takedown, the knee can catch the forehead or the top of the skull.

The most cited example in MMA is Jorge Masvidal’s flying knee against Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July 2019. Masvidal ran directly at Askren to open the bout and connected with the knee as Askren ducked his head. The strike remains the fastest knockout in UFC history at five seconds. José Aldo’s double flying knee on Cub Swanson at WEC 41 in 2009 is another standard reference point. Aldo finished the fight in eight seconds.

Jumping knee vs. flying knee

Most MMA fans and commentators use “jumping knee” and “flying knee” interchangeably, and Wikipedia treats them as the same technique, listing “jumping knee” as an alternate name for the flying knee (hanuman thayarn in Muay Thai).

Some traditional Muay Thai sources draw a subtle distinction. The flying knee is the version with a running or rushing approach, used to cover distance toward the opponent. The jumping knee, in contrast, is more vertical and thrown from closer range without the running setup. Black Belt Wiki frames the difference simply: the flying version adds a run before the jump to build extra power and height.

The table below summarises the way the two terms are usually separated when a distinction is made:

Feature	Jumping knee	Flying knee
Approach	Stationary or short step	Running or rushing forward
Trajectory	More vertical	More horizontal, covers distance
Range	Closer to the opponent	Mid-range to long-range
Thai name	Khao dot	Khao loi / hanuman thayarn
Typical use	Close-quarters knockout attempt	Range-closing knockout attempt

For practical purposes in MMA commentary, the terms are synonymous. A reader who hears either one is hearing about the same family of strikes.

Types of jumping knees

There is no single jumping knee technique. The two main variations seen in MMA and Muay Thai are:

Rear leg jumping knee

The standard version. The fighter pushes off the lead leg, lifts both feet off the canvas, and drives the rear knee forward and upward into the target. This is the version most commonly thrown in MMA because it requires the least mid-air coordination.

Scissor jumping knee

A more advanced variation. The fighter still jumps off the lead leg, but switches the legs in mid-air (a motion compared to pedalling a bike) so that the lead knee is the one that actually strikes. The mid-air switch adds reach and disguises which knee is going to land.

A third variation, sometimes called a single-leg or one-legged jumping knee, sees the fighter strike with one foot still planted or trailing behind. Angel Amaya landed a one-legged jumping knee knockout at Legion MMA 9 in Venezuela in 2025, when his opponent grabbed his lead leg during a scramble and was caught with the rear knee.

Is the jumping knee legal in MMA?

Yes, the jumping knee is legal in MMA, including in the UFC, provided it lands on a legal target. The two main rules that govern its use come from the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts:

1. The opponent must not be a grounded fighter when the strike lands to the head.
2. The knee must not target prohibited areas such as the back of the head, the spine, or the groin.

The definition of a “grounded fighter” was updated on November 1, 2024. The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports voted in July 2024 to revise the Unified Rules, including a change to the grounded-fighter standard that governs when knees and kicks to the head are legal. Under the previous rule, a fighter with a single hand on the canvas was considered grounded and therefore protected from knees to the head; under the updated rule, more than the hands or feet must be in contact with the canvas for the fighter to be grounded.

The Masvidal-Askren finish at UFC 239 is the textbook example of a legal jumping knee in the UFC: Askren was upright and shooting for a takedown at the moment of impact, so the strike met both rule conditions.

For readers wanting the fuller picture on when a knee crosses the line, Speak MMA’s explainer on illegal knees in MMA covers the situations referees flag most often.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a jumping knee the same as a flying knee?

In MMA commentary, yes. The terms are used interchangeably. Some Muay Thai instructors distinguish the flying knee as the running, distance-covering version and the jumping knee as the more vertical, closer-range version.

Where did the jumping knee come from?

It originates in Muay Thai, where it is called hanuman thayarn after Hanuman, the monkey-king from the Ramayana. It became part of MMA through the broader influence of Muay Thai on stand-up striking.

When is a jumping knee illegal in MMA?

When it lands on the head of a grounded opponent, the back of the head or spine, or the groin. The Unified Rules also disallow knees while the striker is engaged in certain prohibited holds.

Who has the most famous jumping knee knockout in MMA?

Jorge Masvidal’s five-second finish of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July 2019 is the most cited example. It remains the fastest knockout in UFC history.

Why is the jumping knee considered high-risk?

A fighter in the air cannot defend a takedown or reset their stance. A missed jumping knee often leaves the striker off-balance and vulnerable to a counter or a takedown attempt.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Knee (strike).” Accessed May 2026.
2. ESPN. “Masvidal’s 5-second KO fastest in UFC history.” July 6, 2019.
3. Evolve Daily. “How To Set Up And Land The Jump Knee In Muay Thai.” January 2023.
4. Muay Thailand. “Muay Thai Knees.” Accessed May 2026.
5. FightScience. “How to Throw a Flying Knee in Muay Thai.” April 2026.
6. Heavy.com. “Explaining the New MMA Rules That Debuted at UFC Edmonton.” November 3, 2024.
7. UFC. “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.” Accessed May 2026.
8. IMBA (Muay Thai Boran). “Hanuman Tayarn.” Accessed May 2026.

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