Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, Ed Perdomo and Ben Ordonez wrap up the current jumbo-sized four-technique arc of MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week. Every move in the arc so far has fed off of the Mount Escape and Half-Guard Sweep featured November 2. This basic straight Armbar, however, will feed off of the Colombian Necktie submission from last week. In a game that relies on being three moves ahead, it is important to know where to go if and when your first attack fails.
Ed has finished his sweep and moved to lock on the Colombian Necktie but Ben is wise to his game and quickly turns out of the attack, making Ed have to either abandon the attack or fight to get his arm back into position. Rather than fight with Ben for control of the arm, Ed changes attacks and goes with the turn. He slides his back knee behind Ben’s neck into quarter mount and traps Ben’s shoulder against his hips (LEFT). At the same time Ed uses the framework of the choke to apply pressure and force Ben’s head into the mat.
Once he has regained tight control of Ben’s posture, Ed moves to isolate the arm. He begins by switching the hand controlling Ben’s arm to his back hand, trapping Ben’s triceps to his body with his forearm and gripping Ben’s shoulder with the hand (RIGHT). Ed then uses his now free front hand to trap Ben’s head on the mat as he sits up into a kneeling position. This allows Ed the space he will need to step over Ben’s head to finish the Armbar.
With Ben’s head pinned to the mat and his arm and shoulder tightly controlled, Ed moves to finish the Armbar. He begins by swinging his front leg around Ben’s head and in front of his face. Ed then sits to the mat with his hips as close to Ben’s body as possible. From there, Ed lies back, squeezes his knees tight around Ben’s arm, and takes control of Ben’s wrist with the hand he was controlling Ben’s head with, straightening the arm against his chest (LEFT). Ed then bridges his hips, forcing the tap, the dislocation of Ben’s elbow, or both.
Recap:
- When your opponent turns their back to escape the choke, slide your knee behind their neck into quarter mount and apply pressure to their head with your front hand.
- Trap your opponent’s arm to your chest with your back hand and use your front hand to push against your opponent’s head, sitting up into quarter mount.
- Bring your front leg around in front of your opponent’s face and sit to the mat as close to your opponent’s back as possible.
- Take control of your opponent’s wrist with your now free front hand, squeeze your opponent’s arm with your knees, and lie back flat on the mat.
- Keep your opponent’s wrist trapped against your chest, bridge your hips, and finish the submisison.
This Straight Armbar completes the current arc of MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week. The options that are presented from the sweep that started this arc are practically endless, but these are three easy submissions that even a rank beginner can use to finish the fight in short order. Next week, we will return with another set of sweeps, escapes, submissions, and takedowns to further our readers’ education in the grappling side of MMA.
*Ed Perdomo is a 4th degree black belt in the Korean grappling art of Hapkido and is head instructor of the Hapkido Institute in Morris, IL.
