Grappling is an integral, and effective, component of MMA. The great Khabib Nurmagomedov used grappling to dominate all of his competition. MMA fighters with a striking base often choose to lean into their strengths, leaving a gaping weakness in their overall game. The strikers that increase their grappling ability often see great success in the sport. Competent grapplers often come into the sport and land devastating knockouts, partially because they do not fear the threat of being taken down. Today, Evolve Daily is pleased to share a guide on how to use grappling to land more strikes in MMA.
Hand Control
Controlling your opponent’s punches from just outside the punching range can stifle their offense while setting up your own. One way to do this is through the use of the long guard, commonly found in Muay Thai. The standard long guard has your rear hand in a high guard position, while your lead hand is extended, making contact with your opponent. Be sure to leave a slight bend in the elbow of your lead arm, to avoid hyperextension. This position allows you to maintain contact with your opponent; you will be able to feel when they move before you can see it.
You can also use the long guard once you and your opponent are in boxing range. Anytime you can punch, you can use your long guard to pin, parry, and post your opponent’s arms and body, proactively shutting down their offensive options. The above video explains the long guard in depth.
Clinch range is an area of crucial importance to fighters with a striking base. Improving your clinch work will help you keep the fight standing, where you have an advantage over a grappler.
Learning and drilling the fundamentals of standup wrestling will help you develop fluency within the clinch.
Your First Day Of Standup Grappling/Wrestling!
A basic understanding and ability to execute underhooks, overhooks, different grips, and pummeling will give you a buffer zone to prevent the grappler from shooting a successful takedown.
Philly Shell For MMA Takedown Defense
Controlling your opponent through the clinch can set up devastating strikes that are difficult to counter.
For example, you can force your opponent’s weight onto one leg, essentially giving you a free leg kick with no threat of being checked in response. One way to do this would be to take a collar tie on one side and wrist control on the other side. From this position, pull your opponent’s weight onto the leg you want to kick. Justin Gaethje does this very often to land heavy leg kicks from the pocket.
You can also turn many clinch positions into strikes. For example, you can easily turn a collar tie into a tight upward or slashing elbow. Outside bicep control can be turned into a smashing elbow simply by lifting your elbow strike above your opponent’s bicep. Inside bicep control offers you a free hook to your opponent’s face, as your arm is already on the inside line.
Head Position
Head position is an often overlooked element in the positional ranking hierarchy. Even pure boxers use head position to land more punches while staying defensively responsible. One of the best examples of this is the hard-hitting legend, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin.
Golovkin uses the head position to keep his chin out of harm’s way while breaking his opponent’s posture. This is one of the secrets behind his juggernaut style.
This same head position is used by one of the four kings of boxing, Roberto Duran.
In an MMA context, you can use this head position to add a layer of takedown defense against your opponent, as well as using it to set up your own offense.
Takedowns are crucial to learn; without a legitimate threat of a takedown, experienced grapplers will be able to overwhelm you with their pressure.
You don’t need to know hundreds of different takedowns or setups to be effective. Just knowing how to single leg and double leg will be enough to prevent the grappler from walking you down.
The blast double is arguably the most effective takedown and can be seen throughout history in many contexts and cultures. Practice the actual takedown itself, but also two different setups. This will allow you to alternate between the two and trick your opponent.
The single-leg takedown is another takedown that has been seen across different martial arts throughout history. Like the double leg, drill the takedown itself, while also drilling two different setups.
Now that you have established threats from your striking, clinching, and takedowns, you are set up to use feints to land devastating power strikes.
One common, but highly effective, example is a level change to feint the takedown, followed by an immediate rear overhand aimed at your opponent’s chin.
A crafty opponent will catch on to your tactics quickly; stay one step ahead by chaining your feints together. For example, you can build on the previous technique by adding a single-leg takedown at the end of the sequence.
When you level change, your opponent will expect the overhand. Throw the overhand, not as a punch, but as a post on your opponent’s shoulder. Use your lead arm to knee-pick your opponent’s lead leg. Push with your rear arm and pull with your lead arm, while you run forwards and you are almost guaranteed to take your opponent down.
Conclusion
Although the concepts discussed are rudimentary, they make a world of difference to keep the fight standing in MMA. Using pins, posts, and long guard tactics will make your opponents impatient and reckless, setting them up to bite on one of your feints. Basic controls like under and overhooks allow you to sense your opponent kinesthetically, increasing your own reaction time. Add the above elements into your training and let us know how it helps you!
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