Trips Off The Cage For MMA With Benson Henderson
MMA is such a grueling sport. The action can be striking, then Wrestling, to submissions in a blink of the eye. It is truly a symphony of chaos. To quell the chaos many fighters, use the fence to slow down the fight. Having a barrier to push against will most certainly take away another fighter’s ability to employ explosive unpredictable movement.
Another barrier that is often used by grapplers is the floor. Take a kickboxer and land them flat on their back they essentially become neutralized. There are even times top tier strikers will use wrestling to slow a fight down, this is normally after they have been clipped and are trying to recover.
The ebb and flow of transferring from striking, to wrestling is a delicate art. When the barriers are utilized this changes the techniques used vastly.
Using a standard double leg against the cage becomes difficult because a classic double leg requires the off balancing of the penetrations step to help take the other fighter off their feet. When you double leg against the fence, the fence will hold the other fighter up, assisting in their effort to maintain balance.
Looking at some of the best grapplers to ever fight in MMA, there are a few common themes while fighting off the fence. One of those themes is the clinch position used on the barrier.
The over under is the most common clinch position. The fighter on the fence is utilizing a strong whizzer (over hook) to keep the other fighter from sinking low to a near side single or far side knee tap or ankle pick.
Not to sound boring but oftentimes the fighter pressing the actions, smashing the other fighter against the fence will win that round. Randy Couture made a career in two different weight classes by utilizing his “Dirty boxing” against the fence.
Randy being a Olympian level Greco Roman wrestler had no problem with a over under position and would throw, punches, knees, elbows and shoulders into his opponent while he mashed them against the fence.
There are two major problems with this for fans and some fighters alike. The first is if you are attached to your opponent on the fence, the chance of you throwing a strike that is going to end the fight is pretty slim. The second, it makes for a very boring fight. It is a safe position, but it does become boring.
What happens if you get into this position and you want to get your take down on the score cards and want an opportunity to use the floor as barrier to help land some sweet ground and pound?
The simple answer is get off the fence! The question is how do you get off the fence safely and still create an opportunity for a take down? Don’t Fret my friend as Former WEC and UFC Champion Benson Henderson has a solution for you!
Benson Henderson is one of the most complete MMA Fighters to ever compete, and his list of people he has beaten is a roster of soon to be Hall of Famers. Benson has a pace that will make anyone tired and his ability to attack with wild kicks, strict boxing and wrestling seamlessly is what has made him so successful.
Learn to work off of the cage with Benson! Click Learn More!
Take the video above, Although Benson did not utilize the wall he very well could have. Using his under hook to pull his opponent off the fence then beginning the motion of stepping through to a trip will work just as well.
Utilizing that deep step will give you Supplex options if they don’t react, but any fighter worth the gloves they were will see this as danger and step back in an attempt to square their body and prevent a highlight reel throw.
It is in this moment that their other foot is planted you must attack. Wrapping your near side leg for a inside lace. (Wrapping your leg between the legs and around the outside of their leg. In contrast to a outside lace where you wrap your leg around the outside of the leg)
Once the inside lace has been established you drive hard into your opponent. Essentially throwing all your body weight into them. Now because their leg has been laced they have no way to recover their balance and over they go.
Now they are flat on their back, more often then not you will be in their guard, and if you are the striking type, you bring the rain down hard and fast!
This is so simple and yet because of the ensuing chaos and potential for strikes it becomes a high percentage take down in the clinch. Ben Askren was known for this takedown during his career in ONE FC. Khabib is no stranger to the inside trip either.
If you are a MMA fighter, Hobbyist or a Grappler that is doing a super fight in a cage which is all the rage lately Benson Henderson’s new Instructional is for you. It is an entire series of fighting off the fence. He brings his years of fighting at the highest caliber of competition to help the next generation.
Check it out here!