Fighters Only

Issue 098

February 2013

How you can turn the fight to your advantage from the 50:50 clinch with lifts, tilts and trips

Pete Irving

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

The 50:50, or over-under tie-up is one of the most commonly seen high tie-ups in MMA. Both fighters have one overhook, one underhook, with the head on the overhook side. The 50:50, as the name indicates, presents both fighters with an even proposition and therefore you must act quickly and decisively to gain the advantage.

HIP TOSS: LIFT

1. Pete (left) and Joel are in the 50:50, each having an overhook and an underhook.

2. Pete backsteps, driving his underhook high, rotating his feet and turning his hips toward Joel’s. Pete level changes as he backsteps to get his hips lower than Joel’s.

3. Pete straightens his legs and drives his underhook high, lifting Joel off the mat.

4. Pete continues to rotate his hips to guide Joel over.

5. Pete lands in a secure side control.

BODYLOCK TAKEDOWN: TILT

1. Pete and Joel are tied up in an over-under, or 50:50.

2. From a new angle.

3. Pete changes his level, stepping around to his overhook side and captures the hips, squeezing tight around the waist with a wrist-to-wrist grip.

4. An alternative view.

5. Pete slides both legs past, overbalancing Joel as he moves past him.

6. Pete lands in side control with an underhook on the farside.

INSIDE TRIP: TRIP

1. Pete and Joel start in the over-under.

2. Pete circles back away from his overhook. The pivot step draws Joel’s leg towards him, planting Joel’s weight predominantly on that leg.

3. Pete shoots in, hooking the leg with his shin flat on the mat. Pete prevents Joel from stepping back out of the hook by placing his right hand against the knee.