POW! The Jersey Jab

[5min4fighting]

I heard something interesting to me in the Boris Valabik vs. Jodey Shelley fight that got me thinking. The announcer talked about the jersey punches and said more and more players are doing it in todays game. I personally like the jersey punches and think it is a great tool for a set up dominant hand punch, I have seen plenty of people here who do not like this punch and think of it as some wussy thing? Yah got me on that one because I have seen plenty of damage done by these punches and thats not even what they are for, its the set up.

My question is who was really the first player to utilize this move if anyone knows? Not a player who did it a couple of times by accident but one who made it into his style, or if done by accident noticed it's uses and started doing it more often. I think Brian McGrattan is the best at this technique, it's very technical and desctracting to the opponent and when he is getting peppered by that jersey punch he wont see the big one coming.

Anyone know the answer to my question, and what is your opinion on the jersey punch as an effective move in the fight?

[Ciccarelli]

I don't know but it could be Wade Belak that started the trend with the jersey jabs. Before maybe Tony Twist, he usually grabbed on with one hand and threw punches with the other one, it could be possible that he used the jersey jab in some way.

I guess even 20 years ago some fighter used the jersey jab in some circumstances but I'm not sure.

[pbag]

Here's some more talk about the jab.

The origin of the "jersey jab"

[bd123]

names that come to mind are dj king and arron asham...of course they are not the origin.

[The DZA]

I know Tie Domi was one of the first and he was the one who taught Belak

[Cat Smasher]

Also here is more...

Jersey Jabs: worthless or useful?

[Wendel_Clark_17]

Belak and McGratton both utilize(d) it effectively. They're already tall guys and use the jab to distract and land quick shots while slipping more powerful shots in behind.

[leafs_fan77]

Belak uses it very well and probably has one of the best, if not, the best jersey jab in the league right now.

[srehm1]

I just wanted to add my .02 on the subject.

By the early 90's you had a variety of different fighters using a variety of different styles and techniques. You had toe-to-toe guys, marathon fighters, really technical style fighters, power punchers, jersey shedders, wrestler/grapplers, huggers, etc. You had guys who threw bombs from way down town, machine gun rapid fire punchers - you get the idea.

By the time the 90's came around I can only name maybe a handful of "lock-out" style fighters: Twist and Grimson are two that immediately come to mind. They would grab on with the left and cock back and throw with the right. Twist used this style almost exclusivley while Grimson could switch hands or cross-up fighters as well. In general as the 90's went along you still had a ton of veteran fighters doing their same old routine, employing their own individual styles - now the late 90's come around. This is when you have guys like Worrell, Parker, Patrick Cote etc. who came into the league and used the same "lock-out" style. Worrell and Parker both utilized the jersey jab. Domi by this time was using the jersey jab and would eventually introduce it to Wade Belak - who ran with it for a while.

Now it had mixed results overall as a bona fide weapon. Remember the Probert-Parker fight? well after Parker squared off with Probie for ten minutes, doing his best youtube pose, he grabbed on and tried to get the jersey jab going. Then Probert kicked the living sh!t out of him. The jab didn't work that time.

Fast forward to today in the post lock out "new" NHL. Notice anything about your current batch of HW's? They almost all use the "lock-out" style. They almost all employ the jersey jab to a degree. The "lock-out" style is good for setting up the jersey jab. Especially with todays players wearing ultra-big jersey's, the jersey jab is almost a given. Imagine guys trying the jersey jab in 1977 with the skin tight uni's? There wasn't enough slack in the jersey for it to ever be used effectively. Nowadays you could stretch the collar of a players jersey 2 feet! Hence the easier application of the vaunted jersey jab.

It's funny but fighters don't know what to do with their right hand anymore. They cock it back to fire bombs, but never use it to help set up their punches better. You don't see too many technicians anymore. Fighters who could use both hands to get free and set up their attack. Now it seemes so scripted: Square off, grab hold, jersey jab-jersey jab, overhand right... There is no real maneuvering for position anymore, no real styles anymore. everyone fights so similar. The jersey jab has become almost a prerequisite to fighting in the NHL. The lock-out style has led to the preponderance of jersey jabbers in the NHL today.

I personally dislike the jersey jab. I've seen instances where it's combined with an overhand right in a kind of 1-2 combo that seems effective. But watching two fighters stand in the same spot and jab, jab, jab away back and forth is BORING and a waste of a fighting major. There are many more effective ways to winning fights. I mean could you honestly see Probert, McSorley, or Berube using the jersey jab back in the day?

Another thing - and I find it no coincidence - the two most dominant fighters of the last 8-9 years don't use the jersey jab at all. Laraque and Brashear are both lefty's. You need to fight another lefty if you want to employ the lock-out style, but they are, of course, few and far between. Laraque and Brashear have developed their own styles and have become the two best fighters in the game because of it. All without using the jersey jab much, if at all.

[5min4fighting]

All good input thanks

[Terrible One]

Luke Richardson was the king at jersey jabs.

[The_Sheriff]

Parker Shelly

Parker utilizes the jersey jab really well here against Shelley to start things off.

Him and big Pete are the two I commonly think of who used the JJ effectively.

[5min4fighting]

That was a good fight! Parker was good at a time.

[The_Sheriff]

Originally Posted by 5min4fighting

That was a good fight! Parker was good at a time.

In my eyes he could still be. Went 2-0-1 against the "champ" Eric Godard last season with no problems in any of the fights. People can't seem to get over the Probert fight. It was Parker's rookie season and he got caught. He has compiled way more wins than losses.

I hope someone gives him a chance and he can stay healthy.....