Issue 164

February 2018

Calf slicers are so rare in MMA, even Brett Johns looked surprised when he pulled one off on Joe Soto at the TUF 26 Finale. Just a few seconds after the former Bellator champion shot for a single-leg takedown, he was tapping as his leg was crushed on the undefeated Welshman’s shin.

“If I’m honest, I’ve probably only done that once or twice, he admits to FO. “I’ve practised it a few times with the boys back home, including Ashley Williams, an EBI competitor, but I hadn’t gone through it thoroughly… I do it from different set-ups, but it’s not a favorite sub of mine; that would have to be my guillotine.

“It’s one of those moves where if the guy’s a bit flexible, it probably won’t work and I was a bit surprised he tapped. It was just the right submission for the right opponent.”

No sooner than his hand was raised, “The Pikey” said he may have had a little luck in pulling off such a rare and flashy submission, but there’s no doubting the skill it takes to instinctively instigate such an uncommon technique on another high-level grappler.

Read on to see how Johns pulled it off in just 30 seconds...

STEP 1

THE RIGHT SIDE

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it if his head was stuck on the inside because it would have blocked me from sitting through. The only reason it worked so well because he popped his head to that side"

STEP 2

SUBCONSCIOUS SUCCESS

“I usually take a grip with my left hand around the waist and go through the legs with my right hand. But for some strange reason, I went for my own foot.”

STEP 3

THE SET-UP

“When I was on my back, I kicked my right leg straight and that was only to make sure he didn’t kick his leg away from me.”

STEP 4

KEY TO VICTORY

“I didn’t hold on to the foot, I held onto the toes. That little detail was the difference between pulling it off or not. When I applied pressure,

I held position and after about three or four seconds, he tapped.”