And it’s legit…or at least legit in the sense that the guys who peddle this crap actually believe it works. It doesn’t though. There are more things wrong with this takedown “defense” than are wrong with Vitor Belfort‘s sudden removal from his UFC 173 title bout against Chris Weidman. Let’s just say this: Count yourself lucky if you wind up in a street fight with a “wrestler” who opts to grab your rear leg on a single leg takedown, let alone make thousands of other mistakes.
Stay tuned for next week’s traditional martial art’s fail, where another favorite from the past will be telling us how to defeat boxing with deadly street smarts.
If you see any video that’s good (or bad) enough to make the cut, let us know! Send it to [email protected].
Remember those idiots who taught us BJJ’s five fatal weaknesses (spaz punches and bright red pants being chief among them)?
And it’s legit…or at least legit in the sense that the guys who peddle this crap actually believe it works. It doesn’t though. There are more things wrong with this takedown “defense” than are wrong with Vitor Belfort‘s sudden removal from his UFC 173 title bout against Chris Weidman. Let’s just say this: Count yourself lucky if you wind up in a street fight with a “wrestler” who opts to grab your rear leg on a single leg takedown, let alone make thousands of other mistakes.
Stay tuned for next week’s traditional martial art’s fail, where another favorite from the past will be telling us how to defeat boxing with deadly street smarts.
If you see any video that’s good (or bad) enough to make the cut, let us know! Send it to [email protected].
I don’t know if it was ego, terrible corner advice, plain stupidity, or some combination of the three — although the fact that Tate changed her nickname from “Takedown” to “Cupcake” following her previous loss to Rousey suggests that ego surely played a part — but there is simply no excusing Tate’s baffling gameplan last Saturday. For someone who said she “fantasized” about KO’ing Rousey, Tate seemed all but against engaging Rousey in a straight up battle on the feet. For someone who said she would “shoot herself in the face” if she lost via armbar again, Tate seemed all too willing to play Russian Roulette with the Olympic judoka (#nailedit), diving in on takedowns only to be reversed, flipped, slammed, tossed, and bamboozled by Rousey on all but one occasion.
(“YOU’VE GOT HER RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT HER, MIESH! SHE’S BREAKING!!” Photo via Getty.)
I don’t know if it was ego, terrible corner advice, plain stupidity, or some combination of the three — although the fact that Tate changed her nickname from “Takedown” to “Cupcake” following her previous loss to Rousey suggests that ego surely played a part — but there is simply no excusing Tate’s baffling gameplan last Saturday. For someone who said she “fantasized” about KO’ing Rousey, Tate seemed all but against engaging Rousey in a straight up battle on the feet. For someone who said she would “shoot herself in the face” if she lost via armbar again, Tate seemed all too willing to play Russian Roulette with the Olympic judoka (#nailedit), diving in on takedowns only to be reversed, flipped, slammed, tossed, and bamboozled by Rousey on all but one occasion.
Just take a look over the Fightmetric report for the fight. Better yet, watch these highlights. Do either of these suggest that Tate had fought Rousey before, or spent the past few months studying every aspect of her opponent’s game? Given the long and very bitter history between the two, it was utterly mind-blowing to watch Tate, a six year veteran of the sport, fight as if she had never heard of this Rousey character’s incredible Judo game before.
In Tate’s “strongest” round (the first), Rousey was still able to complete three out of four takedowns, yet Tate’s corner insisted that she was “breaking” — you know, kind of like how Tate told boyfriend/trainer Bryan Caraway to “coast” for the third round of his eventual decision loss to Takeya Mizugaki at UFC on FUEL 8. It was apparently all the (false) confidence Tate needed, as she would open the second round with a few punches before tying up with Rousey and being tripped to the mat with ease.
At this point, one would think that Tate would abandon the grappling game and attempt to keep things standing, where she was at least achieving moderate success with her left hooks and jabs. Wrong. Tate would shoot on yet another takedown only moments later, get hip tossed, and spend the rest of the round fending off Rousey’s submission attacks while getting her fill of knuckle sandwiches in the process.
By the third round, Tate was understandably exhausted. She was physically (and perhaps mentally) broken, and it was only a matter of time until Rousey secured her patented finish. But while the champ also appeared to be getting the better of the standup throughout the fight, Tate was at least able to return fire in that department. On the ground, however, she was a fish swimming against a riptide. She was delaying the inevitable. And it was a shame to see such a talented fighter fight so below her level.
Of course, I cannot state enough how much respect I have for Tate, or how much I enjoyed the fight for that matter. Tate was able to drag Rousey into deeper waters than anyone (including herself) had done before, and she should be commended for her grittiness. But the strategy she brought into the biggest fight of her life and quite possibly the last title fight of her bantamweight career was insanity by definition — Sisyphean, you might say — and completely validated her massive underdog status heading into the fight. While I’m sure that there’s plenty of fight left in Tate, I pray that she takes more away from this loss than she did the first one. Mainly, don’t play into your opponent’s strengths.
At the end of the day, Rousey vs. Tate II more or less confirmed why the women’s bantamweight division could desperately use a Holly Holm-type fighter. Rousey’s victories, while entertaining, have mainly come against fighters brave (or stupid) enough to grapple with her (*cough* message for Sara McMann *cough*). If the UFC ever wants to see a fighter truly push Rousey to the limit — which, maybe they don’t — they’ll need to find someone with a strong enough standup game to outgun the champ and an even stronger wrestling in reverse game to keep her at bay. They need a female Chuck Liddell (*shudders*), so to speak. We know McMann has the grappling prowess, and we know that Cat Zingano packs a wallop on the feet, but until the UFC finds their female Chucky, it’s just going to be Rousey vs. Grappling Dummies 1-16.
Chris Weidman‘s victory over Anderson Silva at UFC 162 will go down as one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It was a moment of unfathomable glory that not only gave Weidman the grand recognition he deserved, but proved yet again that underestimating any Octagon opponent can be forever deadly. But as […]
Chris Weidman‘s victory over Anderson Silva at UFC 162 will go down as one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It was a moment of unfathomable glory that not only gave Weidman the grand recognition he deserved, but proved yet again that underestimating any Octagon opponent can be forever deadly. But as […]
Chris Weidman‘s victory over Anderson Silva at UFC 162 will go down as one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It was a moment of unfathomable glory that not only gave Weidman the grand recognition he deserved, but proved yet again that underestimating any Octagon opponent can be forever deadly. But as […]
Chris Weidman‘s victory over Anderson Silva at UFC 162 will go down as one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It was a moment of unfathomable glory that not only gave Weidman the grand recognition he deserved, but proved yet again that underestimating any Octagon opponent can be forever deadly. But as […]
While the NFL’s fascination with MMA-style body slams has only become apparent in recent years, the NHL’s obsession with violence dates back to the earliest days of the sport. Although the history of the Canadian military would suggest the contrary, the NHL is definitive proof that our neighbors to the north are just as bloodlust-driven as we are — they simply know how to channel their aggression a little better is all.
Case in point: The NHL preseason began all of 10 days ago and there have already been over 70 fights according to the NHL Fight Log. Also, the NHL has a Fight Log. With voted winners and a ratings system and everything. While most of these fights serve their purpose of firing up a crowd when the action is at a standstill, they also feature some absolutely dogshit techniques that have not evolved one iota since those aforementioned early days.
With all this in mind, we here at CagePotato have taken it upon ourselves to do the responsible thing and point out a few effective MMA moves that will not only elevate the level of hockey fights in general but help a handful of NHL players really drive home the notion that they are not to be tangled with on the ice. Enjoy.
(Sunday’s brawl between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres. 8 out of 10 for effort, 2 out of 10 for technique.)
While the NFL’s fascination with MMA-style body slams has only become apparent in recent years, the NHL’s obsession with violence dates back to the earliest days of the sport. Although the history of the Canadian military would suggest the contrary, the NHL is definitive proof that our neighbors to the north are just as bloodlust-driven as we are — they simply know how to channel their aggression a little better is all.
Case in point: The NHL preseason began all of 10 days ago and there have already been over 70 fights according to the NHL Fight Log. Also, the NHL has a Fight Log. With voted winners and a ratings system and everything. While most of these fights serve their purpose of firing up a crowd when the action is at a standstill, they also feature some absolutely dogshit techniques that have not evolved one iota since those aforementioned early days.
With all this in mind, we here at CagePotato have taken it upon ourselves to do the responsible thing and point out a few effective MMA moves that will not only elevate the level of hockey fights in general but help a handful of NHL players really drive home the notion that they are not to be tangled with on the ice. Enjoy.
#5 – The Muay Thai Plum
Fight in Question: Alexander Urbom vs. Brandon Prust – Sep. 23, 2013 Voted Winner: Brandon Prust (97.4%) Voted Rating: 5.6 Analysis: While most hockey players seem content with the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em, Frye vs. Takayama approach of grabbing ahold of one another and trading wild haymakers until someone falls down, a simple Muay Thai clinch could effectively put a decisive end to 90% of hockey fights. Take the above fight between New Jersey Devils defenseman Alexander Urbom and Montreal Canadiens forward Brandon Prust for example. While Prust was able to get a decent couple of shots in at the end there, both men looked like they were trying to punch their way out of a hurricane for the duration of the bout.
By closing the distance and utilizing a Thai plum, Urbom could have easily compensated for his reach disadvantage, as well as controlled Prust’s body weight and momentum. Although delivering knees to your opponent’s skull is next to impossible while on skates, Urbom could have used his superior position to rain down a hellstorm of elbows on Prust. Or he can continue being content with getting his ass kicked. What do I know? I’m not even here. (*backs slowly out of room with hands raised*)
Fight in Question: Ryan Carter vs. Travis Hamonic – Sep. 21 Voted Winner: Draw (68.8%) Voted Rating: 2.9 Analysis: I’ve only been following professional hockey for a couple of years now, so I can’t claim to know what is considered a dirty, bitch move and what isn’t. But being that 8 out of 10 hockey fights end with both men tying up, collapsing and being pulled apart by the refs, it’s safe to say that a simple guillotine choke could end the “draw” issue that apparently permeates the NHL Fight Logs.
In the video above, the Devils Ryan Carter and the Islanders Travis Hamonic engage in a mostly substandard clinchfest along the fence barrier. At the 40 second mark, however, Carter presents Hamonic with a *golden* opportunity to snatch up a standing guillotine choke that is sadly ignored by the Croatian. As Nick Diaz expertly demonstrates in this video, the standing guillotine cannot only be used to finish a fight from a tied up position but can also be used as a setup for a takedown.
Again, I’m no expert on the politics of a hockey fight, but a standing guillotine could serve as an effective tool during a hockey fight for several reasons, the most obvious being the element of surprise it brings to the table. Simply put, not many hockey players are going to see any submission coming until it is too late. Simplier put: No can defense.
Fight in Question: Corey Tropp vs. Jamie Devane – Sep. 22 Voted Winner: Jamie Devane (94.1%) (?!) Voted Rating: 6.4 Analysis: Unfortunately, the NHL has instituted a new rule (46.6) which states the following:
No player may remove his helmet prior to engaging in a fight. If he should do so, he shall be assessed a two minute minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Helmets that come off in the course of and resulting from the altercation will not result in a penalty to either player.
In order to get around this rule, helmet removal has quickly become either A) An issue that is simply left up to fate or B) A gentlemanly, agreed upon precursor to a fight (see Krys Barch vs. Brett Gallant). In either case, (*switches to movie trailer voice*) once the helmet is off, all bets are off.
Although us MMA fans are already aware of the devastating effect a takedown/slam can have when performed on canvas, that devastation increases exponentially when a player is slammed onto ice (this guy knows what I’m talking about). Are we saying that NHL players should start powerbombing each other through the ice to settle a minor grudge, possibly ending both their opponents and their own careers in the process? No, we’re just saying that the option is available. Maple Leafs left wing Jamie Devane clearly understood this, as he chose to utilize the takedown to KO Corey Tropp during yesterday’s Leafs/Sabres game, resulting in the massive brawl that was the inspiration for this list.
Let’s be real, no matter how trendy, no matter how played out, we all still fantasize about the zombie apocalypse on a daily basis. While there will always be the NRA member who has a weapons cache in their basement, some won’t be so fortunate. This one goes out to them.
Let’s be real, no matter how trendy, no matter how played out, we all still fantasize about the zombie apocalypse on a daily basis. While there will always be the NRA member who has a weapons cache in their basement, some won’t be so fortunate. This one goes out to them.
HONORABLE MENTION- Running Away
It didn’t work so well for Kalib Starnes when he fought Zombie Cage Fighter, Nate Quarry, but you don’t have to worry about scoring points when your judges are undead monsters. Get the hell out of there and save yourself!
AVOID- Crucifix
While this move has proven golden for “Big Country” Roy Nelson, he hasn’t fought with a flesh eating mongoloid since coming up short against Jeff Monson. The last thing you’ll want to do is give your zombie nemesis an all-you-can-eat-buffet for a few punches and elbows. Your instincts for the headshots are good, but there are better ways.
USE- Plum Clinch
More commonly known as the “Muay Thai Clinch,” this move is an indispensable article in your arsenal. This clinch allows you to control the zombie’s head, avoiding those dastardly dentils.
AVOID- Armbar
While virtually any submission maneuver would be a foolhardy idea, laying your leg across the mouth of a ghoul is just plain stupid.
USE- Guillotine
To entirely contradict my last slide, the guillotine is a pretty golden move. If sunk in properly, you can clasp the undead’s mouth shut and torque that neck until it snaps like a Kit Kat Bar.
What sets this move apart from other chokes like the rear-naked choke is that it offers better maneuverability and keeps you on your feet. The last thing you want is a recently decapitated zombie pinning you to the ground while the horde approaches.
AVOID- Takedowns
There’s a two in six billion chance that you, the reader, are Matt Hughes or Randy Couture, and thusly you shouldn’t be using the majority of MMA takedowns. I concede, it might be thrilling to splatter a zombie into the ground, but you never really know how decomposed your competition is, they might survive. Hopefully when the world ends so will the rules. Spiking and piledriving your undead foe won’t get you disqualified, and could save your life.
USE- Front Kick
Risking balancing on one foot might be precarious, but once you’ve sent a zombie fiend’s head soaring with a geyser of gook, you’ll thank me.
AVOID- Dirty Boxing
Snuggling up against a zombie is a bad idea no matter how many punches you land. Create distance.
USE- Showtime Kick
You are going to be aiming for the head and any help you can get, take it.
Launching yourself off of the rubble of civilization isn’t fail-safe; you might eat crap. Thankfully with a zombie’s delayed reaction time you could probably try three or four times before it even catches on.
AVOID- Triangle Choke
Yes, zombies like hot dogs. Beware.
USE- Superman Punch
I give you, Zombie Kryptonite.
Sport Science once measured Georges St. Pierre’s Superman Punch at a speed of 15 FPS. The time it would take for your fist to mash the mandible of the man-eating monster would be virtually instantaneous.
Another key factor in the Superman Punch’s effectiveness is the feint kick. While your zombie opponent probably won’t fall for it, the leg extension behind you will act like a blind man’s cane ensuring you won’t give up your back to a zombie goon.
