Fighters Only

Issue 091

August 2012

FO’s inescapable submission series returns. This issue, get the tap every time with our sambo-inspired heel hook

Pete Irving is a professional welterweight fighter and Fighters Only’s resident fight expert.

For a time, leg locks went out of fashion with MMA fighters. As the general technical level of grappling in MMA increased exponentially, many fighters considered the risk of falling back for a leg lock too dangerous in case the defender should achieve top position and find themselves in a position to strike with impunity (see Marcio Cruz vs Andrei Arlovski, UFC 66). It was only the wild and adventurous fighters like the Japanese ‘master of leg locks’ Masazaku Imanari attempting leg submissions regularly – and being rewarded with a mixed bag of submission wins and knockout losses. Now, however, a new breed of MMA fighter has emerged, with top grapplers like Rousimar Palhares leading the way with leg lock attacks. And while Alan Belcher may have evaded Palhares’ aggressive ankle attacks at UFC on Fox 3 recently, if fully applied a leg lock can become inescapable.

ORIGINAL BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU ACHILLES LOCK

First, a standard leg lock and how to escape it. The sport of Brazilian jiu-jitsu is extremely cautious about the use of leg locks – limiting the use of more dangerous varieties, the kneebar and specifically the heel hook to the higher grades – in the interests of protecting novices from serious injury and promoting the strategy of passing the guard.

1 Pete (top) is attempting to pass Rick’s open guard. 2

2 Rick pushes Pete back to prevent him sliding his knee to the ground. Pete has anticipated this, and has gently wrapped Rick’s ankle, tight enough to keep it secure, but gentle enough that Rick will be more concerned with preventing the pass and fail to realize the ambush. It is forbidden in BJJ to pass the legs over the top of your opponent’s legs, which creates pressure on the knee and hip joints, but equally creates an escape route for the defender. 3

3 Pete falls back, to his side, not his back. His bottom leg stamps on Rick’s hip to stop him coming up on top, with the heel in, toes out. 4

4 Pete slides the sharp wrist bone onto the sweet spot, just above the heel. Pete makes the ‘cup and saucer’ grip – with the palm wrapped under the closed fist of the hand that grips the leg. 5

5 Pete squeezes his knees together and back-arches to apply the pressure.

ESCAPE FROM BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU ACHILLES LOCK

In this series of actions, the defender essentially works backwards through the attack sequence, undoing the steps toward the application.

1 Rick has Pete in the straight Achilles lock. 2

2 In order to resist, Pete must kick his leg through, pointing the toes up to make the leg hard. 3

3 Pete controls Rick’s foot, bracing it in place. 4

4 Pete shifts his hip whilst holding the foot, creating space between hip and heel. 5

5 Pete raises his hip and pins Rick’s foot to the mat. 6

6 Pete sits down over Rick’s leg. 7

7 Pete grabs Rick’s neck. 8

8 Pete drives up in attempt to gain top position. 9

9 Rick realizes the position is lost and scrambles for top, but Pete places him in his guard.

THE ‘Inescapable’ SADDLE

A more effective piece of positional control, originating from Russian sambo, is called the saddle. It was developed and introduced to jiu-jitsu and MMA fighters by sambo standout Reilly Bodycomb, student of Scott Sonnon (fighter, sambo trainer and fitness expert) and Eddie Bravo (famed grappling competitor and teacher). The final four steps are known as ‘tying the knot’ and are what make this submission inescapable.