Easy Takedowns in MMA

These are my favourite simple takedowns.

Grip-Switch Takedown

  • Start with your left foot forward and your right hand in a wrestling clinch/tie up on your opponent/partner. Snap his head down slightly.
  • Step Forwards with your right foot and switch your grip so that the left hand now has the clinch
  • You can now grab the waist or leg of your opponent OR
  • You can go for a headlock when the opponent sprawls back to stop you capturing the leg

The technique begins instantly at the start of this video – you really need to view at 0.25 speed to see the ‘grip-switch’

 

1-2 Takedown

  • Hook or sweep (lightly) your opponents lead leg
  • He will normally step back to avoid the trip
  • Ankle pick his other foot/ankle which will now be in front

 

Basic Head-Snap

  • Wrestling Clinch
  • Push into partner
  • Snap his head down into a headlock

 

The head-snap is a highly effective technique at low & intermediate level wrestling.

If you can’t reach a headlock from a snap-down, you can follow up with a double leg takedown or low single when the opponent tries to posture up.

You can also snap-down from a 2 on 1 grip on the wrist.

wristcontrol

 

 

Wizzer – Uchi Mata

  • From over/under position
  • Tighten your overhook and try and get wrist control where your underhook is

nogiuchi

 

The over/under position is shown below:

From here, when Hendo stands up, Anderson could tighten his overhook with his right arm – look the opposite way and perform an uchi-mata/wizzer throw as shown above

overhook mma