Issue 084
January 2012
The stifling cross-body can easily condemn a fighter to a full round of bout-losing back-on-mat action. But worry not, FO have four ‘get out of jail free’ cards for you
Pete Irving is a professional welterweight fighter and Fighters Only’s resident fight expert.
Side control can be the most difficult position to escape as the top man has so many options from this hold. As the bottom man tries to free himself it often opens multiple options for the top man to step over the head, move to mount, knee ride or slide up to north-south. In these cases, the energy spent trying to escape will have been wasted and have thrown the bottom man from the frying pan into the fire.
Acting quickly is imperative, as once the top man has time to establish his hold the position may become inescapable. The moment you realize your guard is about to be passed or you are about to be taken down, you must begin to prepare your defense and counter.
ARM-UNDER BRIDGE OUT
1 Crezio (top) has Pete under his cross-body. Crezio has a far-side underhook and near-side shoulder pressed against Pete’s jaw, the most commonly seen variation of the pin. Pete grips tightly to limit Crezio’s ability to strike him.
2 Pete throws his arm underneath Crezio’s stomach to create the escape route. This is the most dangerous moment of the escape, as Crezio could trap the arm if Pete does not act quickly and correctly, leaving his head unprotected.
3 Pete prevents the arm from being trapped by using a small bridge to completely free his arm, bringing his shoulder right out from under Crezio’s weight. If Pete acts too slowly, he will remain under Crezio’s center, and Crezio could transition around to the north-south position.
4 Pete bridges completely, driving towards Crezio’s head, and throwing his free arm over Crezio’s head.
5 Pete comes up to his knee and puts Crezio in the front headlock.
6 Alternate angle.
TAKING THE BACK
1 Crezio has Pete under the cross-body.
2 Pete bridges into Crezio to create space.
3 Pete regains his underhook, with his shin blocking Crezio’s leg from going to mount or knee ride.
4 Pete puts his underhook around Crezio’s waist and turns into his knees.
5 Pete frees his head and controls Crezio’s turtle, chopping the arm and putting in a leg
ride to block the stand up or roll under.
6 Reverse view of the leg ride.
REGUARDING
1 Crezio has Pete under the cross-body with a far-side underhook.
2 Pete bridges towards Crezio.
3 As Pete drops back to the mat, he capitalizes on the space created by the bridge to free himself from the underhook. Pete bars Crezio’s chest – not his neck.
4 Blocking Crezio’s shoulder and bicep, Pete escapes his hips and puts his shin across Crezio’s hips.
5 Pete puts his hooks on Crezio’s hips, keeping control of the arms, preventing Crezio from striking and preparing submission attacks on arms and legs.
HEADLOCK ARMPIT TRAP TO DOG FIGHT
1 Crezio has Pete under the cross-body with an underhook on the far-side. On the near side he is landing punches.
2 Pete blocks the bicep to stop the punch.
3 As Crezio cocks his arm back to free himself to punch again, Pete wraps around the neck and grips through under Crezio’s armpit.
4 Reverse view.
5 Cranking Crezio’s neck, Pete hips out.
6 Pete uses his shin to block Crezio from taking the back as he moves to his knees.
7 Pete releases the neck and grabs a whizzer.
8 Reverse view of the dog fight position.
