Posted on December 22 2017
The importance of the ground game cannot be overstated when it comes to MMA. A lot of talented fighters have ego issues, and they feel like fighting by direct hits and kicks is the “manly way” in which they should fight. But even though the ground game may not be as dramatic as a one-punch KO of an overhand right – it still has tremendous importance in every MMA match.
This is because of the fact that a lot of the MMA matches end up on the ground. And BJJ is one of the most effective ground-game weapons that you can use in MMA. Coming from the school of the Gracies, a family of martial arts practitioners – BJJ quickly rose to prominence after the win of Royce Gracie in the first UFC event ever. He was physically non-exceptional, but he still managed to choke and armbar everyone one of his (sometimes much bigger) opponents.
So, what can you do in order to improve your ground game? Learn BJJ. Wrestling is also very important in the sense that you will be able to do effective takedowns – and these are worth precious points in the eyes of the judges in MMA matches. And then, if you learn BJJ, you will be able to take full control of the ground game. Your opponent will be like a fish on dry land – powerless to do anything while expending tremendous amounts of energy at the same time.
If you haven’t experienced it by now – it’s not at all comfortable for someone to lay on top of you in side control, or God forbid, mount, while raining down punches on your head. You see, BJJ is a sport that uses only submissions and positional advantages in the duels. But you can combine BJJ with striking, and you will get a devastating weapon in your arsenal for your next MMA fight.
Not to forget about the submissions that you will be able to do once you’re in a dominant position. There are armbars, triangles, arm triangles, rear naked chokes, leg locks, heel hooks – dozens of different submissions that can come to you within the blink of an eye if you can sense that the position is right. And this will win you the battle once the opponent taps out.
Finally, there are some powerful BJJ sweeps that you can utilize when you’re battling your opponent on the ground. This means that even though your opponent has the dominant position for now – you will still be able to use a sweep in order to turn the tables – all within the blink of an eye and with minimal effort – and get top position.
As you see, BJJ can be applied in the fighting game in many different ways. The imagination is your sole limit when it comes to this. Make sure that you’ll have consistent BJJ practice sessions so that you will be able to fully internalize the vast BJJ knowledge that lies within your grasp.
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