Today’s Rule: You never, ever, ever bend at the waist and look at the ground while throwing a punch. Especially a “push jab” with little snap behind it.
Look at the action here. Josh starts by lunging when he throws the jab, his feet leave the ground as he starts to throw the punch. There is no reason to “jump in” with this punch for starters. It isn’t like a superman punch, you’re not gaining any momentum on the jab by hopping forward as you throw it. A jab is a snap punch, the power on it comes from pumping it and snapping it back.
Next, as he hops he bends at the waist. I suppose there is an argument to be made that he was “changing angles” but to me it is all part of his getting cocky in not only his new found KO power but in the fact that Thiago hadn’t yet been able to really strike with him. Looking at his body positioning I can only guess that he was going to try to wing a big overhand right behind the bunny hop.
Lastly, watch Josh’s eyes as he throws the jab. Where are they? Is he locked in on his target in Paulo’s head? Is he locked in on Paulo’s chest and shoulders to follow any potential counterpunch movement? No, he is looking downward somewhere between Thiago’s legs and the ground. Josh gave himself no chance to see a punch coming in return and in the end it came down to bad jab vs. solid uppercut. Guess which one wins that clash damn near every time?
While Thiago’s striking was anything but technically sound for the fight up to that point in the fight he was able to sit down on one uppercut that Josh was leaping in to the power of and not looking as it hit him in the jaw. The reason the old saying “the shot that hurts the most is the one you don’t see coming” is true is because you’re usually not in a position to defend it although you usually aren’t also hopping like a bunny directly into the other guy’s power at the same time.