Issue 120

Domination and humiliation: UFC 170lb’er Mike Pyle teaches you how to obliterate your opponent with this fearsome cross-body pin variant.

The 20-7-1 Mike Pyle schooled the highly touted John Hathaway through a three-round unanimous decision at last year’s UFC 120.

The most imperious moment came in the second round where Mike trapped the Brit in a reverse triangle from side control and rained unanswered blows.

“Once you’re in it you’re pretty much screwed,” admits the American welterweight. “I’ll hold it until it gets stagnant and then just release it and keep going.” 

The Xtreme Couture-based veteran says the set-up is just as hard to deal with. “Let’s say I’m in side control and I’m on his left side. I’ll trap his right arm with my left up against my own body – kind of like holding a telephone.

My right hand will be free to punch the face, give him a couple of elbows, whatever it’s going to take to get his elbow off of my hip so I can step over.”

From there Mike will take his right leg, now free to move thanks to his set-up strikes, and place it over his opponent’s head while wrapping his shin underneath. “Just step over and tuck your leg behind his head, and then triangle your legs. And hang on for the ride because he’s going to try to get out of there.” Planting the top of your head on the canvas will help maintain a strong position.

‘Quicksand’ says he’ll occasionally opt for an armbar instead during the triangle attempt, but in his scrap with Hathaway it wasn’t on offer.

“I usually don’t try to finish. I don’t usually try to sub or anything from there, I’ll just stay there and kind of frustrate the guy and punch him in the face as many times as I can.”