Never Underestimate Your Opponent

Keep it real.

In every fight, whether it's in an official tournament or the streets, you should never underestimate your opponent. At all times, keep your eyes on the person. Be watchful and pay attention to his or her movements. It's only when you time your attacks and defenses wherein you could end up being triumphant. Yet remember that there's the element of luck that plays an integral role too. Since anything could happen, you simply have to be ready to respond favorably. Rise when you fall and dominate when you're winning. Never underestimate your enemy.

Set Your Goals

Your objective in all combats is to win. It should be that. But, aside from gaining the upper hand, you must also consider incapacitating your opponent. After all, a person may retaliate after being defeated. Still, you need to consider how you're going to prevent your adversary from ever attacking you. It isn't that simple when you're fighting against another human being because humans are designed to be strong. You have to have a strategy wherein you could come out victorious without ever hurting yourself or by just sustaining minor injuries in the process.

Specifics

You no longer have the time to think much when you're already in a tussle. You have a few seconds to decide whether you're going to attack, wait, or defend too. The bottom line is everything is going to be fast in a fight.

Some of the parts of the body that you should protect are the neck, belly, groin, and joints. Your neck, belly, and groin are some of the softest areas and so they're vulnerable and could cause you to lose. Your elbows, knees, and phalanges on the hands and feet can be exploited. They can be locked and broken so you need to be careful by protecting them. Even though you need to keep yourself safe, to win in a match, you also need to take advantage of your opponent's weaknesses. These areas are also what you may want to focus on and strike when a fight is going on.

Evasion is part of the game. It would be wise not to leap into someone when you haven't planned out your attack. Sometimes, evading blows are the wisest decisions that you could make. This doesn't mean that you ought to run, though. When you're cornered, you can't escape anymore. Because of that, at least do side steps. But, when you do evade, look for opportunities to attack too. When an opponent fails to hit you and exposes openings, it's your chance to deliver devastating blows.