“Street Fighter” Sagat’s Uppercut and Body Shot Technique
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Uppercut to Body·Skyhook Martial Arts & Fitness
Sagat, the inspiration for the Street Fighter video game character, was known for his devastating uppercut punches, and …
Uppercut to Body
SubFamilyボディ・アッパーカット(Bodi Appākatto)
Translation: Body uppercut
Overview
The Uppercut to Body drives the fist upward into the opponent's midsection, targeting the solar plexus or liver. [1] Unlike the head uppercut, the body uppercut can be delivered with less risk of counter-punching. [1] It is one of the most devastating body shots in boxing when delivered to the liver. [1]
Body UppercutBoxingShort UppercutBoxingLiver UppercutBoxing
History & Origin
Boxing techniques including the Uppercut to Body have been documented since the earliest Queensberry Rules era. [1]
Effectiveness
The Uppercut to Body is a fundamental boxing technique with proven effectiveness in competition. [1]
Lineage
Western Boxing tradition. [1]
Competition Record
Used in UFC and professional MMA competition
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Uppercut to Body-specific boxing mechanics
Joints Involved — Shoulder, elbow, wrist, hips, legs
Force Vector — Punch-specific trajectory
Position & Entry
From boxing stance — Deliver the uppercut to body
Variants
Power uppercut to body
Speed uppercut to body
Videos
Uppercut Tutorial
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Uppercut to Body·Hitman Huseman
Learn the proper technique of an uppercut punch.
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The uppercut to the body is a versatile striking technique that can be executed from multiple ranges and stances. Both Hitman Huseman and Skyhook Martial Arts & Fitness emphasize the importance of generating power from the lower body through hip rotation, knee drive, and ground push-off rather than relying on arm strength alone. Huseman identifies three distance variations—long, medium, and tight range—and focuses on the mid-range execution with controlled hip and shoulder rotation, maintaining an upward trajectory with minimal forward extension. Skyhook introduces a Muay Thai framework (matnak) that differs from boxing technique; the Muay Thai version travels up and out to accommodate kicking range, employing a "spring-loading" bounce mechanism off the ground for added speed and power. Both instructors stress proper hand placement and trajectory alignment: Huseman advocates shooting straight up with clean, flush contact to the chin or forehead, while Skyhook emphasizes extending fully through the target rather than stopping at a locked angle. For body shots specifically, Skyhook notes the technique mirrors the upper-body uppercut but with a last-second drop to target the spleen, diaphragm, or liver depending on opponent positioning. Both agree that repetition and chaining multiple uppercuts back-to-back builds consistency and prevents technical degradation.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- Hitman Huseman — Uppercut Tutorial: Detailed breakdown of right and left uppercuts across three ranges (long, medium, tight), emphasizing hip and knee rotation, proper hand placement angles (straight up vs. angled through gloves), and defensive positioning after execution.
- Skyhook Martial Arts & Fitness — "Street Fighter" Sagat's Uppercut and Body Shot Technique: Introduced Muay Thai uppercut mechanics (matnak) with spring-loading ground push-off technique and up-and-out trajectory; explained body shot application (spleen, diaphragm, liver targets) using the same mechanics with a last-second drop; emphasized full arm extension through target and chaining repetitions.
Learn This Technique
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Boxing punch with significant knockout potential
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
Kyokushin — Body punches legal at full power, head punches banned {src— IKO Kyokushin Tournament Rules}
— 1 point
WT Competition Rules 2024PDFLegal
— Unified MMA — Legal striking technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFWBC/Boxing — Legal — punches are the core technique of boxing {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
— ITF — Legal — hand techniques to head and body both permi...
ITF Competition RulesPDF— WAKO — Legal in Full Contact and Low Kick formats
WAKO Competition RulesPDFK-1/GLORY — Legal — full power punches to head and body {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
— IFMA — Legal
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Use heavy bag and mitts for power development
✓Shadow box for technique refinement
Common Mistakes
!Dropping the guard
!Over-extending
!Telegraphing
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Guard position → Uppercut to Body → Follow-up combination
Sources & References
Primary Source
Fencing (Pollock, Grove & Prevost, 1902)
1Book[1] Pollock, W.H., Grove, F.C. and Prevost, C. (1902). Fencing, Boxing, Wrestling. Longmans, Green, and Co. Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes. [2] Castle, E. (1885). Schools and Masters of Fence. George Bell and Sons.
description, historyOrigin: sourced from Pollock, W
2Citation[1] Pollock, W.H., Grove, F.C. and Prevost, C. (1902). Fencing, Boxing, Wrestling. Longmans, Green, and Co. Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes. [2] Castle, E. (1885). Schools and Masters of Fence. George Bell and Sons.
description, historyOrigin: sourced from Pollock, W
Community
Athletics
Requires proper weight transfer
Strong shoulders and core
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I throw an uppercut to the body instead of the head?
Use the same motion as a head uppercut, but instead of bouncing up, bounce and then drop your hand at the last second while springing forward to target the body areas like the spleen, diaphragm, or liver depending on your opponent's angle (Skyhook Martial Arts & Fitness).
What's the proper technique for throwing an uppercut?
Turn your hips and shoot straight up with full extension, keeping your hand placement flush and clean rather than angling sideways, then bring your hand back to your face to defend (Hitman Huseman).
Should I practice throwing multiple uppercuts in a row?
Yes, you should get used to doubling or tripling up on uppercuts by consistently extending, coming back, and extending again—this helps ensure you have clean technique from start to finish and prevents getting lazy with transitions (Skyhook Martial Arts & Fitness).
How does the Uppercut to Body work?
The Uppercut to Body drives the fist upward into the opponent's midsection, targeting the solar plexus or liver. Unlike the head uppercut, the body uppercut can be delivered with less risk of counter-punching.
Where does the Uppercut to Body come from?
Boxing techniques including the Uppercut to Body have been documented since the earliest Queensberry Rules era.
Is the Uppercut to Body legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal striking technique; WBC/Boxing: legal — Legal — punches are the core technique of boxing; WKF: legal — Legal, jodan/chudan punch scores 1 point (yuko) — controlled contact required; Kyokushin: restricted — Body punches legal at full power, head punches banned; WT: restricted — Punches to trunk only (1 point), punches to head banned; ITF: legal — Legal — hand techniques to head and body both permitted; WAKO: legal — Legal in Full Contact and Low Kick formats; K: legal — 1/GLORY — Legal — full power punches to head and body; IFMA: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Uppercut to Body?
Danger rating 6/10. Boxing punch with significant knockout potential
How do I set up the Uppercut to Body?
The standard setup chain: Guard position → Uppercut to Body → Follow-up combination.
How do I defend against the Uppercut to Body?
Standard counters include: Slip / Block / Counter-punch.
What are the variants of the Uppercut to Body?
Common variants: Power uppercut to body; Speed uppercut to body.
How effective is the Uppercut to Body in competition?
Used in UFC and professional MMA competition
What are common mistakes when doing the Uppercut to Body?
Top errors to watch for: Dropping the guard / Over-extending / Telegraphing.
What are other names for the Uppercut to Body?
The Uppercut to Body is also known as Bodi Appākatto, Body Uppercut, Short Uppercut, Liver Uppercut.