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By: Henry Dziekan, MMATorch Specialist
Over the past two weeks we've looked at dominant positions and mentioned the differences between dominant positions in BJJ and MMA. We've also briefly looked at a few take-downs as they've applied to the videos we've reviewed, the ever popular and effective double leg take-down and pulling guard. Using the last two weeks' articles as a base, we're going to start breaking down specific submissions and look at other aspects of grappling as they apply to the videos we review. If any anyone has any specific questions, comments or even a submission you'd like me to break-down please feel free to leave a message in the comments.
The only submission on last Saturday's Strikeforce card was Marloes Coenen defeating Roxanne Modafferi via armbar. Since that fight was on the undercard and not televised, the video is not available online, so we're going to have to go back a few more weeks to find another submissions to break down. This week we're going to look at a fight from DREAM 11 on October 6th, 2009 between 'Gracie Hunter' Kazushi Sakuraba and Rubin Williams. Sakuraba forced Williams to tap in the first round via kimura. To go along with the fight video I also have a how to video from Submissions 101 that breaks down the steps of applying a kimura from side control.
The kimura armlock is currently referred to as a 'kimura' but that was not always the case. The kimura was traditionally called a 'gyaku-ude-garami' or 'reverse ude-garami'. That all changed in 1951 after a grappling match between Masahiko Kimura and Helio Gracie (one of the founders of BJJ). In that match Kimura got Gracie in a 'gyaku-ude-garami' armlock, but Gracie refused to tap out. Kimura continued to twist Gracie's arm. In Kimura's autobiography he recalls this event, "The bone was coming close to the breaking point. Finally, the sound of bone breaking echoed throughout the stadium. Helio still did not surrender...I had no choice but to twist the arm again." Gracie's corner finally threw in the towel to end this match. From that point on this armlock has been referred to as the kimura in honor of the great Japanese judo practitioner.
History lesson aside let's move on to Sakuraba vs. Williams. In this video they start on their feet then Sakuraba goes in for a single leg take-down, for which he is well known (3:58). Sakuraba originally aims for Williams' left lead leg but as Williams moves that leg out of the way he leaves his right back leg vulnerable. Sakuraba immediately attacks the right leg. Williams attempts to sprawl but Sakuraba pulls Williams right leg towards himself to complete the take-down. Once Sakuraba has Williams down he wraps his arms around Williams' legs and transitions into side control (4:01). At this point Williams attempts a guillotine choke on Sakuraba (4:10). He probably didn't have it tight enough and Sakuraba easily escapes. Sakuraba maintains his dominant position and isolates Williams left arm while loosening him up with some ground and pound (4:30). Sakuraba continues landing some light ground and pound and then throws his right leg over Williams' head (5:01). Sakuraba then proceeds to basically pat Williams on the back (not sure what he was trying to accomplish by doing that). Sakuraba then sees his opening to apply the kimura (5:15), he makes his grips and cranks Williams' arm to get the quick tap.
Next lets look at the Submisions 101 video. This video breaks down all of the steps of the kimura so that the move is easy to understand. In this video they execute the move slightly different than Sakuraba does. When you are in side control they suggest grabbing the wrist of your opponent's outside arm with the arm that is by their waist. In this case you grab their left wrist with your right hand. Then bend their arm at a 90 degree angle. Next feed your left hand under their right arm and grab your right wrist. This is the figure 4 grip and it is used for a number of different submissions including leg locks. In the Subissions 101 video the next step they suggest is to step over their head with your outside leg (in this case its the left leg). By doing this you are also able to pull your opponent towards you and on their side which gives you more leverage to crank their arm farther. To finish the move you want to then twist your opponent's arm away form you. This puts a lot of pressure on the elbow and can do some serious damage to both of those joints if you crank it too far. In the Sakuraba video, he executed this move in a different order. He got side control, stepped over his opponents head and then made the figure 4 grips, instead of making the grips first. It's also not completely necessary to step over your opponents head to finish the move. You can complete the move in side control, the only thing is that the floor might get in the way as you twist their arm to try and get the tap.
This is the kimura from side control. There are countless other ways to get the kimura but this is probably one of the most popular applications of this move. Next week we'll continue looking other types of submissions, how they are applied and why they are effective.
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