Fighters Only

Issue 053

August 2008

With Pete Irving.

The presence of the fence means making some adjustments to traditional wrestling techniques. The man whose back is against the fence is at a distinct disadvantage for throwing strikes and scoring takedowns. The fence inhibits sprawling and makes lifts and trips easier to execute for the fighter who secures cage control. Here are a few ideas for attacking someone who is up against the fence.

Ankle pick against the cage

Going low for ankle picks is a more energy-efficient way to take your opponent down than going for a big lift.

Step 1 Pete (black shirt) is tied up with Rob in an over-under position. Pete is pressing Rob against the cage with an inside penetration step.

Step 2 Pete slides his right hand down Rob’s forearm to get the wrist control and reaps Rob’s inside leg with his lead leg.

Step 3 Still pinning Rob’s leg against the fence with his outside thigh, Pete goes for the ankle pick.

Step 4 Pete pulls the ankle away, sending Rob’s shoulders to the mat.

Step 5 Pete is careful to posture up as he executes the throw. Pete controls the ankle and kneels over Rob’s leg to stop him closing his guard and pulling him down.

Step 6 Pete is in a good position to strike down without falling in to a submission.

The Matt Hughes ‘against the cage’ double leg

Take a look at some of the fights from Hughes’ heyday, such as Carlos Newton and Sakurai, for great examples of how to score takedowns against the cage. In his prime, Hughes’ high crotch and double leg lifts were unstoppable.

Step 1 Pete is tied up with Rob in an over-under position. Pete is pressing Rob against the cage with an inside penetration step.

Step 2 Pete switches his lead leg from inside to outside and changes levels to capture Rob’s hips.

Step 3 With his hands linked in an S-grip under Rob’s butt, Pete easily lifts Rob.

Step 4 Pete swings Rob around, angling him to where he wants to finish his takedown.

Step 5 Pete slams Rob hard and will go to establish a good side control.

The ‘Couture bounce’

Randy Couture secured many of his takedowns against much larger opponents by driving them all the way to the fence. By timing the bounce of the cage with your finish you can make your opponent much lighter than if you tried the same finish in the middle of the mat. Check out his first fight with Liddell for an example of this technique.