Fighters Only

Issue 085

February 2012

It’s the mythical Eddie Bravo-popularized submission and the technique that earned Chan-Sung Jung his 2011 ‘Submission of the Year’ trophy

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

NO.1 INESCAPABLE SUBMISSION SERIES

The twister is an adaptation of a wrestling technique known as the guillotine, where it would have been executed from a back ride in order to secure a pin. Popular Brazilian jiu-jitsu player Eddie Bravo modified the technique whilst studying under BJJ legend Jean-Jacques Machado, executing it from side control and applying a neck crank finish. Because the name guillotine was already synonymous in jiu-jitsu with the front headlock choke, Jean-Jacques coined the term ‘twister.’ The twister can be set up from a few positions as outlined here.

TWISTER FROM FACE-UP BACK CONTROL

In March 2010, ‘The Korean Zombie’ Chan-Sung Jung pulled off the UFC’s first twister submission against Leonard Garcia. Here’s his set-up.

1 (Top) Pete has Rosi’s back with a standard jiu-jitsu back control: both hooks in and has a harness grip, one arm under, one arm over.

2 Rosi attempts a ‘back to the mat escape’ falling to the side of Pete’s ‘over’ grip. Pete allows Rosi to begin her escape, but takes out his top hook.

3 Pete figure-fours his legs like Chan-Sung Jung. Note that he could also have selected to use a lockdown.

4 Rosi is hand-fighting and takes wrist control on Pete’s top arm.

5 Whilst doing so would have been the correct defense for the choke, it helps set up the twister. Rosi’s wrist control enables Pete to create the space to enter his bottom arm by drawing the wrist away from her body.

6 Pete takes Rosi’s wrist all the way back behind his head, and reaches around the back of her neck.

7 Pete applies an ‘S’-grip around Rosi’s head, not on the face, but above the temple.

CLASSIC TWISTER FROM SIDE CONTROL

Getting the twister from side control is the original modification of the set-up by Eddie Bravo.

1 Pete is holding side control on Rosi. Pete has reversed his base so that he is face and hips up, and has driven his elbow back up to Rosi’s shoulder to function as the underhook would. Proper weight distribution is critical to prevent the low fighter hipping out and affecting an escape towards your back.

2 Pete pulls Rosi’s far knee down towards him.

3 He steps his top leg over Rosi’s, calf to calf.

4 Pete switches legs, hooking his bottom leg under, and holding his shin while retracting the top leg.

5 Pete replaces his top leg over the bottom leg and hooks under Rosi’s ankle to create the lockdown.

6 Pete grabs Rosi’s far ankle and, maintaining control of her ankle, Pete rolls himself over the top.

7 Pete lands on the other side, pinning Rosi on both shoulders.

8 Pete is free to relinquish his hold on the foot, and begins to attack for control of Rosi’s near arm.

9 Pete takes a baseball-bat grip on Rosi’s near arm.

10 Pete pulls Rosi’s wrist behind his head and reaches his near arm around her neck.

11 Pete grips his arms around her head and cranks to finish.

OTHER FINISHES

If you are unable to free the arm, all is not lost. Simply attack the hips or the legs for a truly inescapable submission!