Best Ways to Beat a Bigger Opponent in a Street Fight

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Tactics to help you overcome a size disadvantage in a fight
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Let’s face it—in some situations, size does matter. So, if you ever find yourself in an altercation with a larger opponent, using the right offensive and defensive strategies can help you gain an advantage. Your best bet is to wear them down with agile movement and superior attacks. Keep reading to learn how to keep a cool head and make the right moves in this situation, with tips and tricks from self-defense trainers Dany Zelig and Adrian Tandez.

How to Fight a Bigger Opponent

According to self-defense trainers Dany Zelig and Adrian Tandez, avoid a fight whenever possible. Move around, using agility and footwork to your advantage. Control the distance between you and dodge hits instead of trying to block them. Go for offensive hits in sensitive spots, like the groin and throat. In survival mode, feel free to fight dirty.

Section 1 of 2:

Protecting Yourself

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  1. When faced with a bigger opponent, you're going to be at a disadvantage from the start. Unless there's truly no other option, try to defuse or avoid physical violence at all costs. Do your best to make peace or simply walk away, if you can. There is no shame in running from a fight, especially if you don't know how it will turn out. Your opponent may be carrying a concealed weapon, or have friends lying in wait to gang up on you. Your primary goal should be getting yourself out of harm's way. [1]
    • Getting away from a violent situation before it erupts should be considered a victory.
    • If a fight becomes unavoidable, stay relaxed. When you panic, your ability to gauge your surroundings and employ effective strategies shuts down.
    • Zelig encourages you to “develop a good level of awareness in order to predict and prevent,” and investigate whether an altercation really “has potential to happen.” [2] If it does, try to avoid it. If you can’t avoid it, try to de-escalate before resorting to fighting.

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Dany Zelig is a self-defense trainer and a 2nd generation Israeli Krav Maga instructor.

    Adrian Tandez is a martial arts and self-defense specialist. He founded the world-renowned Warrior Combat Arts Academy in 2005.

  2. Stay light and poised on the balls of your feet so that you can change directions quickly and keep them guessing. Since their reach is longer than yours, stay safely outside of it until you’re ready to move in and counter with a strike or takedown of your own. [3]
    • Tandez says, “Try to control distance. Footwork, movement, angles—don't allow yourself to be a target by just standing there. Don't allow [the opponent] to get too close to you if you can control the distance. Sometimes you can't. But if you can control distance, that's number one.” [4]
    • One method you could employ is to “dance,” or move in a circular motion around your opponent while staying outside of their striking range. When you sense a punch coming, duck, dodge make sure you’re too far away for it to connect. [5]
    • Whatever you do, don’t let a larger opponent get their hands on you. One wrong move could end the fight in their favor.
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  3. Hold your forearms vertical and parallel, with palms turned inward toward your cheeks. Squeeze your fists together lightly until you’re ready to throw a counterpunch. Hunch slightly to bring your elbows down closer to your midsection to protect your ribs and abdomen from body blows.
    • Don’t allow your guard to fall or get lax, even when you’re tired. Dropping your guard leaves you wide open for that one good shot which could mean the end of the fight.
    • Make sure you assume a guard from which you can quickly and comfortably deliver punches or elbow strikes.
  4. A bigger opponent is also likely to be stronger, so don’t try to stop their attacks directly. Instead, stay mobile to swiftly escape from their punching range. Making them chase you will exhaust them, and with every missed attack, they'll lose a little more steam. If there’s no chance of getting a safe distance away, duck or move your head to avoid the hit. [6]
    • Evading is always preferable to blocking because it doesn’t require you to absorb force with any part of the body.
    • Dodging a punch using only head movement is known in boxing as a “slip.” Slipping punches is an excellent way to avoid being hit while expending minimal energy. [7]
    • According to Tandez, “Blocking isn't going to work very well if the person's bigger and stronger than you. They're just going to crash your block or just break your arms.” [8]
  5. The bigger, stronger person always has the edge in a grappling match. Don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger by allowing your opponent to take hold of you. Keep just outside their reach until the time comes to counter, then capitalize and pull away again. If the fight goes to the ground, you’re looking at a scenario where you have even less control, as your speed, evasiveness and precision will go right out the window.
    • If one of you takes the other down, or you happen to trip, get back to your feet as quickly as you can. You have a much better chance of outclassing a large opponent in a stand-up encounter. [9]
  6. One of the downsides of being taller and heavier is that it takes more effort to move, and as a result you run out of energy faster. Use this to your advantage. Keep slipping, dodging and moving constantly until your opponent begins to slow down. At that point, you can use your speed to slip into close range and unleash some punishing offense of your own.
    • Working out to improve your cardiovascular conditioning can prepare you in the event that you need to be able to outlast an opponent’s onslaught during a fight.
    • The strategy of allowing an adversary to tire themselves out before finishing them off has become known as the “rope-a-dope” principle. Muhammad Ali used this to win a championship bout with the larger George Foreman at the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. [10]
  7. It’s unlikely that you’ll walk away from a fight with a larger opponent unscathed. You may have to eat a few punches if you get caught off guard or while you’re trying to find a way to slip inside. Keep this in mind and prepare yourself mentally. Getting hit is no fun, but it could end up being much worse if you let it take you by surprise. [11]
    • If you do have to take a hit, try to do it on the shoulder or forehead, which is a harder, less vulnerable surface than the jaw or the rest of the face. Let your body sway in the direction of the punch to lessen its impact. [12]
    • During a physical altercation, your body will be flushed with adrenaline, which can keep you from feeling as much pain.
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Section 2 of 2:

Going On the Offense

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  1. When your opponent is least prepared, close the distance between you and move in close. This will neutralize their superior size and reach and put them in the right range to land some hard shots of your own. Finding the right timing and approach for getting in close is paramount for emerging victorious—you cannot win a fight with a bigger attacker by playing into their strengths. [13]
    • When negotiating range with a bigger opponent, the most important thing to remember is to stay out of the “danger zone.” This is the range at which they can hit you but you can’t hit them back due to their added reach.
    • Move in suddenly after dodging a blow or feinting one of your own, or follow your opponent’s punching arm back as they retract it.
  2. If you suspect things are about to take a nasty turn, be the one to make the first move. End a tense standoff with a sudden, well-placed blow to the jaw or solar plexus (the soft, fleshy outer edge of the diaphragm beneath the sternum). Put everything you’ve got into the strike—try to put a stop to the fight in a single maneuver. If you’re successful, your opponent will be incapacitated and the altercation will be over. If not, you’ll at least already be ready for the ensuing brawl. [14]
    • Assess the situation as best you can before resorting to a surprise attack. In many cases, the aggressor might simply be worked up and won’t have any intention of actually getting into a physical dispute. Be certain that you’ve exhausted all other options first.
    • Be careful when going for a sucker punch. If it misses or doesn’t do the trick, there will be no way to avoid a full-on fight.
  3. It’s worth repeating that you shouldn’t try to stand and duke it out with a bigger person. Their reach and power will just be too much to handle. Take your time staying away from their strikes, waiting for an opening and then closing the gap and landing a hard shot. By alternating between defensive posturing and quick offensive bursts, you’ll eventually be able to wear them down. Tandez says, “If [your opponent] does get too close to you, you have to be aggressive. So, you have to be offensive minded.” [15]
    • Be patient. Otherwise, you’ll start making mistakes, which could end up costing you dearly. [16]
  4. Target the most delicate areas of your attacker’s body to make every strike count. One well-placed blow is all you'll need to put your towering opponent out of commission. Zelig advises, “Let’s say I have the option between striking the stomach or the groin. If the strike to the stomach will give me a 40% chance to stop the attacker, but the same attack to the groin will give me 41%–I will go with the 1% more.” [17]
    • Strikes that target an opponent’s sensory organs will leave them temporarily stunned, enabling you to get away or follow up with a hard hit.
    • An open hand slap to the ear is just as good as a left hook for shattering an opponent’s equilibrium, if not better. Hitting the nose can blind them momentarily by causing their eyes to well up with tears, which gives you an opportunity to throw a fight-ending punch. A kick to the groin will compromise their mobility and instantly take the will to fight out of them.
    • The solar plexus is a sensitive target that when hit just right can drive all the air out of an opponent's lungs and leave them gasping for breath. The ribs are also quite fragile, and can be broken with only a few pounds of force per square inch.
  5. Let’s say you get taken down with your opponent on top of you, and you’re unable to climb to your feet. In this situation, scramble for a submission technique, a hold or lock that incapacitates an attacker by neutralizing a single part of the body. By applying a joint lock, armbar or choke, you may be able to do enough damage to put an end to the scuffle. No matter how big or tough someone is, they won’t be able to hurt you if they’re unconscious. [18]
    • Apply a rear naked choke or triangle choke, depending on your positioning. Chokes disrupt an opponent's circulation or ability to breathe, causing unconsciousness. It only takes a firm hold and a few moments to put an opponent to sleep. [19] [20]
    • Armbars are holds that apply pressure to the elbow joint or shoulder. They are effective against attackers who leave their arms extended momentarily after throwing a punch. As a bonus, disabling an arm means they can’t hit you anymore. [21]
  6. Forget about honor or fairness: there are no rules on the street. You don’t know how badly you might be injured if you come out on the losing end of a fight, so you shouldn’t be discouraged from being vicious . Bite, poke eyes, pull hair, chop the throat, bend fingers back, knee the groin— do anything you have to do to survive.
    • Turn objects around you, such as bottles, chairs, rocks, pens or even your cell phone into improvised weapons. In the best case scenario, the sight of you holding a weapon may be enough to make your attacker back down.
    • To avoid escalating the violence further, make a run for it as soon as you have your opponent reeling.
    EXPERT TIP

    Adrian Tandez

    Self Defense Trainer
    Adrian Tandez is a Martial Arts and Self-Defense Specialist based in Mountain View, California. He is the founder, owner, and head instructor of the Warrior Combat Arts Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center. He started the academy in 2005. Adrian has earned the titles of Guro (teacher in Filipino) and SiFu (master in Cantonese) from his certifications and years of martial arts training. Trained under the renowned martial artist Dan Inosanto, Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat, among other things. He has had over 30 years of martial arts experience.
    Adrian Tandez
    Self Defense Trainer

    Fighting dirty seems extreme, but can be the difference between life and death. In a real fight, you have to finish the fight as soon as possible—in fact, the established rule is to try to end the fight in 9 seconds or less. The odds of you surviving become worse every second that ticks by after that.

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      Tips

      • If you have the opportunity, sparring with somebody bigger than yourself can provide an opportunity to practice attacking and defending against a larger opponent.
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      • Keep your eyes on your opponent at all times. It will allow you to pick your shots while avoiding theirs.
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      • Always choose the right strikes for the appropriate range. Stick to kicks to the knee, groin, or midsection when you're on the outside, punches to the head and body at mid-range, and knee and elbow strikes in close range.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • In Kung Fu, I learned that hitting your opponent's shoulder can weaken their punch. A strong blow to the shoulder can shut down their arm for 5-10 seconds, which gives you time to get in another hit or run away.
      • If your hair length is past your ears, tie it up into a style that prevents your opponent from being able to pull it. A ponytail won't work, but a tight bun might.
      • If you're the smaller fighter, you're probably the faster fighter. Focus on dealing fast jabs, ducking quickly, and moving around at a high speed.
      • Watch your opponent's eyes. Most people will move their eyes to the part of your body they are going to hit before they strike.
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      Warnings

      • Fights are unpredictable by nature. There is no guarantee that you will win, even with training and mental preparation.
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      • Violent encounters should always be avoided whenever possible. Only fight if you sense that an attack is imminent and you have no other choice.
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      • Should you sustain any injuries during a fight, seek immediate medical attention.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/45522/martial_arts/street_fighting_and_avoiding_it_when_you_can.html
      2. ↑ Dany Zelig. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ https://blackbeltwhitehat.com/mma/technique/fighting-a-taller-opponent/
      4. ↑ Adrian Tandez. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-techniques/defense-techniques/boxing-defense-techniques
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd4h0YVwvYQ
      7. ↑ https://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-techniques/defense-techniques/boxing-defense-techniques
      8. ↑ Adrian Tandez. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ https://www.military.com/military-fitness/close-quarters-combat/secret-to-surviving-ground-fight
      1. ↑ https://www.school-for-champions.com/competition/boxing_strategy_in_ali-foreman_fight.htm#.V6uNZrgrLIU
      2. ↑ https://evolve-mma.com/blog/7-ways-to-train-yourself-to-withstand-hard-punches/
      3. ↑ https://bloodyelbow.com/2012/10/24/anderson-silva-and-the-art-of-rolling-with-punches/
      4. ↑ https://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-strategy/boxing-styles/how-to-beat-a-taller-boxer
      5. ↑ https://www.wimsblog.com/2013/07/how-to-use-a-preemptive-strike-for-self-defense/
      6. ↑ Adrian Tandez. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ https://breakingmuscle.com/kickboxing-boxing/the-4-paradoxes-of-boxing-and-fighting
      8. ↑ Dany Zelig. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ https://www.grapplearts.com/37-powerful-bjj-submissions-for-grapplers/
      10. ↑ https://jitsmagazine.com/scientists-confirm-which-chokes-put-people-to-sleep-the-fastest/
      11. ↑ https://www.bjjheroes.com/featured/the-triangle
      12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJklgmDe7bk

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you’re faced with a taller and bigger opponent in a street fight, try to protect yourself at all costs. Dodge any strikes your opponent throws at you rather than trying to block them, as you’re likely to be the weaker one. Stay mobile to keep out of their punching range and to try to exhaust them. Avoid wrestling if you can, as the bigger person will always have the advantage in this situation. If you do happen to be on the ground, get back up as quickly as possible so that you can make use of your speed and evasiveness. To do some damage of your own, aim for sensitive targets if you sense that things are going to get nasty. Go for the eyes, ears, nose, or groin, which will hopefully put an end to the fight. For more tips from our Self Defence co-author, like how to keep your guard up, read on.

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