How to fight someone bigger and stronger than you

Let’s face it – when it comes to fights, size matters. Sadly, you can be incredibly technical and still get beaten up by an untrained, bigger guy. This is especially the case if they’re gigantic. Still, if you have good skills, experience, and a high fight IQ then you can still end up winning. Always remember though, you should never fight unless it’s the last resort. Fights sometimes have grisly consequences and sometimes, there are no winners. On a similar note, even if you win a fight – you can still lose later on in court.

Nonetheless, if you want to give yourself the best chance of beating a bigger opponent then there are certain things you can do. And, whilst technique doesn’t always win – it does often level the playing field and give you a higher chance of victory. Here’s how to beat a bigger opponent in a fight.

Be quick and use your size

Although being bigger is normally more advantageous in fights, it’s not always the case if you play to your own strengths. Whilst the bigger man may be stronger and more powerful, this usually means that the smaller man is more bouncy and quicker. The idea with this is to avoid being hit and use speed and timing to avoid getting hit.

If you’ve ever played a fighting video game, you can see this regularly. Whilst the stronger fighter will hurt more when punching, the point is to not get hit whilst also cutting in and out to land punches as your own. Speed is everything, both offensively and defensively. This means using footwork to avoid getting punched and also using footwork to create angles to close in on your opponent.

It may not be easy, and you have a lot to lose if you eat a heavy shot. Still, if you’re like a fly that swarms your opponent, you may overwhelm them and turn the fight in your favor.

Use technique whenever possible

As mentioned with the footwork example, technique is what is most likely to get you the win against a bigger, stronger guy. If you’ve ever trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, then you’ll understand how important technique is. For example, it’s not uncommon for a 70KG brown belt to quite easily beat a 90KG blue belt in sparring.

Whilst this isn’t the same as a fight until the death – it is still an example of how technique can overcome size in a combat scenario. This can be applied to all sorts of martial arts too, such as boxing, wrestling, and others. The point is that technique is essentially knowledge and experience that is put into practice. So, if you can throw punches that are powerful for your size due to efficient movements, then this should help even the playing field.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you may have a big fighter whose technique is nonexistent. This would mean they throw punches with bad technique which is sloppy and tiresome. Simply put, the more efficient your movement, the more likely you are to win. As said, technique isn’t everything – but it is still a huge deal.

Fight dirty and unorthodox

On the streets, there are no such things as rules. Still, you should be careful about using fatal moves as they can land you in prison for murder or manslaughter. Having said this, there are some techniques that are dirty without severe legal ramifications. An example of this could be using an oblique kick to down your opponent. If hit correctly, this could instantly end the fight and put the opponent on the floor.

It doesn’t matter how big or tough a fighter is, if you can blow out their knee with a stomp then it will cripple them. Even with adrenaline, the oblique kick is devastating and a very dirty way to fight. On a similar note, it’s not recommended to eye gouge or strangle. However, kicking the groin is much less risky in terms of legalities.

Basically, you can still fight dirty without seriously maiming someone or threatening their life. One thing worth noting about this strategy is that it can go wrong very quickly. If you open the doors to fighting dirty, then the opponent can do exactly the same. If this is the case, all the dirty tactics can be used on you. In short, if you remove the rules then your potential loss could be worsened. Ultimately, this decision is on you.

Wear down their cardio

Going back to the size difference, cardio is one area where the smaller man is victorious. It’s no secret that bigger muscles tire out quicker due to needing more oxygen to regulate them. As a result, this means that smaller people should be able to last longer where cardio is concerned. From a strategic point of view, this is a good way to fight.

This means that if you can stay in the fight for the first couple of minutes, then the momentum may turn your way. Sometimes, we see this happen in MMA fights where a fighter is dominating early on, only to go on to lose due to suffering from inferior cardio. We mentioned earlier about using speed to avoid getting hit.

Ultimately, this could be the pay-off of dodging some early punches – which means that at some point, you can eventually take advantage. One way to make cardio count later on is by grappling. Whilst it may not be smart to go for takedowns earlier on, they’re much easier to finish if your opponent is exhausted. If you sense heavy breathing and know how to wrestle, then you could capitalize by taking them down. If they’re still exhausted whilst pinned, then the fight is effectively over.

Fight strategically

Perhaps the best strategist when it comes to fighting was Floyd Mayweather. Granted, this was with rules and breaks within a boxing ring, but when it came to boxing he was very smart. Here, he would often win by points and would slowly pick off his opponents. This sometimes included strategic clinching when necessary and lots of good footwork. Sadly, lots of boxing fans labeled him boring, but you couldn’t deny that he was clever in the ring.

This style is a skill that can be learned. All too often, fighters will go all in and come out wildly swinging, which sets up counter attacks. Basically, it can pay to be cagey at times, but you should also know when to strike and be more aggressive. For example, if you notice that your opponent is predominantly right handed, then you could use your fight IQ to attack down their left. Similarly, if you learn a few minutes in that they’re leaving their head exposed when punching, then you can take advantage.

In brief, the idea is to learn the fighter as the fight goes on. This isn’t easy and almost takes a natural instinct. However, if you can harness this ability then it can make life much easier.

Conclusion

Fighting is tough and at times horrible. This is why it’s best to try and come out of it as a winner. At the same time, remember not to go too far, nor let your emotions control you. This is why we train martial arts – to both fight better and to become better people on a spiritual level. Ultimately, if you can put all of the above pieces together, you should do much better against a bigger, stronger opponent.

Having said this, size really is huge when it comes to fighting. This is the reason why MMA and boxing have weight divisions, as otherwise it’s unfair. With this said, all the strategy, skill, and preparation in the world may not be enough for you. The alternative is to run away – which may get laughed at but is a seriously under-rated option when it comes to fighting.