During the first decade of MMA, the preferred striking style appeared to favor the Muay Thai practitioner. Perhaps it was because pioneers like Marco Ruas and Pedro Rizzo were so effective with it. Or it might be the early application of other striking arts like boxing (e.g. Art Jimmerson in UFC 1) failed given the singular repertoires of that time. But times have changed, and striking styles one time thought null and void in MMA are proving to be tactically effective.
Cus D’Amato, the genius coach of Mike Tyson, may have engineered one of the most brilliant styles ever witnessed in boxing, the peek-a-boo style.